I want to apologize to my friends... I've been kind of down in the dumps about this and haven't communicated much this weekend... I got this letter Friday evening and there wasn't anything I could do about it until this morning... and they've got 30 days to get it cleared although the lady at Check Point told me she'd marked it for ASAP... She was very nice but I can't say the situation doesn't have me torn up because it does.... I just don't know exactly what to do but what I'm doing... Remember my last entry about how I worry things to death... Never truer... I am copying a letter I sent to a lawyer... I am really upset about this and wanted to dump on my friends... Sorry... but I do want your thoughts... I don't know if yall would be as upset as I am... but all I can say is this really ripped me... Hello, I don't even know if you will even open this letter. I couldn't figure out how to contact you from your web site, so I returned to my private email to write you a letter. I would like to reassure you that far from being a computer whiz that might be sending a virus I am a computer dummy. I'm writing because I would like to see a class action suit filed against government agencies, investigative agencies, and anyone who arbitrarily punishes people because they have a "popular" last name. I recently signed up to work as a volunteer to work with children to help improve their reading skills. I signed up with a program called Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS). I attended a short training program and filled out a form for the program to do a background check. About a week later I got a letter from CheckPoint. The letter said they were required to send anyone whose name had been submitted for a background check which turned up some kind of record a letter. My name is Elissa Smith. The letter had multiple criminal records for an Elizabeth Smith dating back to 1989. From my understanding the Elizabeth Smith who committed those crimes had been linked to my social security number. This listing of crimes attributed to me had been mailed to Jennifer who is in charge of the Everybody Reads Program. I am so embarassed. Its actually past just embarassed. I am mad and sad all at the same time. How can they do this to me or anyone? I called Jennifer at the Montgomery Learning Center first because I wanted to make sure that I understood what had happened. She told me they had received the information from Check Point and that it did indicate I was aka Elizabeth Smith. She told me that naturally I would not be allowed to work with their program, but that if I could get my name cleared to let her know. I contacted the people at Check Point. I told the lady who answered what my name is and the reason for my call. I asked her how this Elizabeth Smith's name had gotten linked to my social securiy number. She told me that 1. I had a "popular" last name, and that sometimes happens to people with "popular" last names, and 2. That sometimes when someone doesn't have a social security number it gets linked with someone's name that is I guess similar? She said she was filing what she called a claim dispute and said that she would check into getting the problem cleared up. I am filled with so many anxieties. I'm concerned that now this "Elizabeth Smith" has been linked in this report that it may continue to haunt me. I'm old fashioned I guess but I don't like even kind of being associated with these crimes. I don't like the idea that I was crying about my last name. My husband honored me by sharing his last name and here I am hating the name. I could go on for some time about how much this upsets me. Most of all I want to see that various agencies can not continue doing this to people. My husband's home has several liens against it that have nothing to do with him because his last name is Smith. I don't think the practice is still in effect but in the past anytime someone was owed money they slapped a lein on all property owned by people who had a name even kind of like the name of their leinholder. I think now days you have to provide proof that your leinholder is the property owner but the leins from years back are still there and would entail significant financial and time expenditure to clear up. I believe if there is any question about the Identification of a person they should be contacted privately and given a chance to clear their name. The old constitutional idea of innocent until proven guilty thing. Obviously this didn't happen for me. I am truly humiliated. I don't know if I'll have the courage to contact Jennifer with the Everybody Reads Program again. I would appreciate it if upon investigation you feel like you could help me find some justice and some resolution for people who have "popular" last names. In all honesty, I'm not too proud of my last name at this time. What's in a name? History, family connection.... My husband has compiled his family's genaology. He traced his family back to John Smith of James Town... but today he had to hear me cry and try to explain that I wasn't even named Smith in 1989 when the lady from the report had committed her crimes. I'm truly sorry. I do tend to ramble. This situation is definitely very painful. I would appreciate your help. Sincerely, Elissa Smith
Replies
Smith is a good strong name. It makes me think of the two fellows on the box of Ludens Cough Drops! It makes me think of Granny\'s Apples! It makes me think of a real shinny gun I used to own (Smith and Wesson)).
Identity Theft is prevalent. Stupidity and laziness within government agencies is monumental. The red tape to clear up this stupidity and laziness is cumbersome to say the least.
I would make a copy of your marriage license, write a nasty letter explaining what this \"mistake\" on their part caused you and demand a retraction letter to you and another to Jennifer at the Reading Program on their official letterhead. Let Jennifer contact you...I am sure she will as they always need people.
Don\'t let this bother you too much Elissa. You are only a victim if you let yourself be a victim. Sometimes its okay to be pissed off...I am pissed off for you right now and further more there is so much attention on Identity Theft now I would get a list of the people who put leins on your husbands property and demand to see proof of indebtiness complete with your husbands signature. This should not cost a cent. When you have this information in hand you write to the court that holds these leins with a notorized copy of your husbands signature and a statement that he is the victim of mistaken identity. Demand your property be cleared. A squeeky wheel always gets oiled and shouldn\'t cost you a cent. ARGGGGGgH!
Now will you please pass the damn shrimp?
Love Ya, Kathy
I am so sorry, Elissa, this is both frustrating and infuriating. What good is a background check if it isn\'t checking the person in question? Makes no sense at all and creates havoc for you. I agree with Kathy about demanding a retraction...and pronto! ((((love you))))
AWW MAN THAT REALLY SUCKS, I DIDN\'T KNOW ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF, SCARY! I HOPE YOU CAN GET IT ALL WORKED OUT SOON. LOVE YA!
Hey there Elissa,
I really like the name Smith as my name is Roslyn Dorothy SMITH. (Actually Roslyn Dorothy DENNER, SLOPER, PELLEGRINI, SMITH. Of the 4 surnames I have had the only ones I am proud of is my maiden name Denner and my surname now, which is Smith. Yes I have had problems in the past because right here in my neighborhood is anothe Roslyn Smith and she is not a very nice person and I have been mistaken for her a number of times now and you are right it is not nice. It falls upon me to prove every time that it is not me and it causes a lot of angst and worry. I even got rejected for loans twice because they thought I was her. It is a big fat pain in the butt. I hope it does not happen to you again.
Love you heaps SMITHY LOL.
Huge hugs
Roz.
Elissa,
That is some crazy stuff you have to deal with. Since they have your social security # , could there also be some identity theft? Don\'t mean to add even more stress! Why don\'t they go by fingerprints, can\'t mess that up to bad? Good luck my friend, Inga