Identity Theft Claim Not Plausible- Clearance Denied

One would think that if you had your identity used to fraudulently charge purchases and run up delinquent debt that you would do something about it, like file an identity theft report with the local police or call the creditors, right? Well, in a recent clearance denial appeal case reviewed by the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals, this applicant tried to convince the judge that the numerous debts on his credit report were the result of identity theft. However, he never reported it and took no steps with the creditors to resolve the debts. The judge noted that it seemed quite odd that the applicant’s credit report showed that the purported identity thief made payments towards the disputed accounts before they eventually became delinquent. I don’t know of many thieves who would post payments to an account they fraudulently charged to. Also noted was the fact that the applicant failed to disclose a delinquent mortgage account on the SF-86 that he later admitted was his debt, compounding the credibility of his claims. Needless to say, the judge was not swayed by the applicant’s claims of identity theft in the face of evidence to the contrary.

For those that are responsible and do pay their legally incurred debts on time, it is important to constantly monitor your financial accounts for any suspicious activity. If you are a true victim of identity theft you should take actions immediately and keep a running log with supporting documentation showing what you have done towards resolution. The Federal Trade Commission has an excellent information page that provides step-by-step instructions on what you should do if your find out you are the victim of identity theft.