mway’s blog

I AM CURRENTLY OFFERING A $1000 REWARD TO ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE REAL IDENTITY OR WHEREABOUTS OF JAVIER CARDENAS.  CONTACT ME IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING.

A note before I begin: it is currently unclear as to whether Javier Cardenas is this person’s real name.

Javier Cardenas has been committing fraud using my personal information for at least 5 years.  I found out about this a while ago when I was applying for a job at a temp agency in Ohio.  They ran a routine background check and dicovered that someone else was also using my social security number.  At first, I thought it was probably just an immigrant that had bought or started using a random social security number to try and fake citizenship or employment.  I was so wrong.  Shortly after I initially found out, I started receiving innumerable phone calls and solicitations (mostly collection agencies), as well as various credit card (etc) applications and literature in the mail to my home in Ohio.  We called the police – they “investigated” it – but nothing ever happened.  He began using both my mother’s and my names to whatever end; he knew our address, the names of everyone in our family, and our phone number(s).  It’s more than a little annoying to become increasingly (and obviously) annoyed at collectors on the phone and have them tell you, verbatim, that they will not stop attempting to collect from you because they do not believe that neither Javier, nor his evidently vast family, live at your address.  After berating the collectors and their superiors numerous times (it’s a gift), they finally agreed to take me off of their lists and leave me alone.  The solicitations and snail mail stopped, and I assumed that either he had moved on, or the police had finally made some progress.

False.  You know what they say about people that assume – and I was clearly an ass.

Before too long, I checked my credit score (it had been a while – let’s be honest, who the fuck checks that stuff often anyway) and notice some issues.  My previous credit problems notwithstanding, Javier had evidently used enough of my personal information to do really awesome stuff (maxing credit cards, overdrawing bank accounts, etc) that it was starting to affect my credit.  My bank was a local one in Ohio (mistake – sorry, small town businesses) and offered little help.  The police still claimed that they didn’t have enough information and after repeated (read: fruitless) visits to the police station, my dad and I were out of ideas.  We considered hiring private investigators, but after all the frustration, we were (ignorantly) relieved when it stopped again and I started to rebuild my credit.

Fast forward to January 2008.  A couple of years passed silently, and I moved to New York City.  I started work on January 3rd, and that day I went to the Bank of America in Times Square and opened an account.  Problem: the bank told me my social security number was already in use on several accounts.  At that same bank.  Naturally, with privacy laws (lol) being what they were, they would not confirm or deny any information about it, except for the fact that the bank lady showed me her screen with the names of the account holders (lol again) – they were all Javier Cardenas.  Since it was my first day on the job, I conveniently had my drivers’ license, social security card, and birth certificate on me – I showed them all to the bank manager and demanded they close the other accounts.  They refused and it had to be escalated.  I spoke to about 5 different people and, after explaining the problem countless times, they finally said that they would investigate the matter.  I was later notified that the accounts were closed.

Fast forward again to May 2008.  I was living in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.  My apartment lease was being terminated in 3 weeks because the bank foreclosed on the building I was living in (landlords FTW), so I was hunting for a new place.  Lo and behold (words couldn’t describe my fury), my credit score was too low because – dun dun dun – Javier fucked it up.  I ended up having to get a place in East Village with some other people (and hefty rent) because I was out of options; eventually, I had to move back to Ohio for a short while because I couldn’t afford to stay there anymore.

Fast forward yet again to today.  I got home to my apartment and opened the mailbox to find a letter addressed to none other than Javier; I walked inside, opened it up (this isn’t even a real person, and he is using my personal information, so ‘federal law’ my ass).  Naturally, it is a collection – but for a Discover Card with a $10,845.43 balance.

I’m tired of this bullshit.  I’m not really sure if I can go to the police with this collection, since technically it was illegal, but I probably will anyway.  I’m sure they’ll be just as helpful as they were last time (which is not at all), thus I am offering a reward.

If it so happens that you read this, Javier: please be aware that you are a fuck.  You are scum – a pathetic, lecherous detriment to society.  Pray that you find yourself in a gutter somewhere before I find you because after all of the aggravation, I will spend every last dollar I have to make sure that you are fucked over in every possible way, after which point I will personally deliver the lawsuit or deportation paperwork.  Go fuck yourself.

Again: I am offering a $1000 reward for information that helps me find this douchebag and get his ass arrested (or deported), whoever he is.  Send this link to your friends, post it to your facebook, tweet it, idgaf.

Morals of the story:

1. Be careful with your personal information.
2. Don’t trust Bank of America, because they suck.
3. If Javier Cardenas runs in front of your car and you conveniently forget to brake, don’t lose too much sleep over it.

Have a nice day.