Since 2005, I have been fighting identity theft. I pay $14.95 a month for the three credit rating companies to watch my account. Apparently my social security number was given out to some people who don’t mind taking advantage of people who work for what they want.

The thefts that have occurred with my stolen identify have been from utility companies. Apparently all that is required is for someone to call the utility (gas, electric, cable, phone) and give them my name, or their name, and my social security number. Nothing is checked to verify this information. When the bill is not paid, I get dinged on my credit score, and I have to prove that I did not open these accounts.

When an account in collections is posted to my credit report, the results can have a significant negative effect on my credit score. It makes no difference that I did not incur the debt. Resolving the debt by disputing their accuracy or settling with the collection agencies can “potentially” help my score recover.

Where is the responsibility of the utility companies that make it so easy to fraudulently steal from them, then make me spend my time and energy proving that I did not do this? Is there some legal recourse for me when this continues to occur over and over?