As additional comments come in, which now appears to be almost daily, I am posting them so that people can share their experiences. Also I am forwarding them on to the San Diego City Attorneys’ Office, who is investigating these claims. If you would please indicate if it is OK if the investigator in charge may contact you to ask questions or verify information.

Many times you find this page after this happens to you, in which case put down all you can remember — since as you can see the pattern is the same. But if you find this beforehand, it is helpful to keep track of who called you and from what number, ask for them to send you something in writing, ask from whom they are getting this personal information about you, ask if they have your Social Security Number, and ask for the specifics on the alleged debt at issue — when it was established, and from whom and for precisely what amount. Many times these basic inquiries stop the call, but this is information you are entitled to and will help on the investigation.

Again I am sorry for the concerns you all have, and we are working with the appropriate authorities to see what we can do. The more information you can provide the more it helps. In addition, you may want to contact the Identity Theft Resource Center and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse to ask them about what you can do to protect your information. Both are non-profit well respected organizations who help consumers in these types of situations.