Beware This ID Theft Scam-Kiplinger — kiplinger.com

I received a dunning letter from a collection agency demanding $158. I’ve always paid my bills on time, and I don’t recognize the charge. I checked out the supposed creditor, and the company seems to be out of business. I also checked my credit report, and there are no outstanding problems. Can I ignore the letter? --M.H., New York City You are wise to be skeptical and not automatically write a check. This could be a phantom debt, a growing problem in which criminals steal enough of your personal information to scare you into thinking a bogus collection letter or phone call is real. They may even be able to cite, say, the name of your bank and the last four digits of your Social Security number, says Christopher Koegel, of the Federal Trade Commission.

Read More