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TagsBY WENDY LEONARD, MPH
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
I just got a phone call from a collection agency called, NCO Financial Systems. The gentleman on the phone said my Chase Visa card was seriously delinquent, owing over 700 dollars. I was understandably concerned...but also surprised by this allegation. Why? I always pay my credit card bills in full. Plus, I rarely use my Visa; I'm more of an American Express user — as it's a sky miles card.
So, I told the gentleman, "I can't imagine I did that," but would double-check my payment history on Quicken; and, if that were indeed the case, I would pay that amount immediately.
He suggested that I could simply pay that amount now, by phone. I replied that I had not heard of his agency, and thus, was not comfortable doing so.
...And then, for some unknown reason, I asked, "Are you sure you have the right Wendy Leonard?"
He said, "You live in Burlington, Alabama?"
"No, I don't" I replied.
"Have you ever lived in Burlington, Alabama?"
"Never" I said, adding, "Do you have a social security number connected with this account?"
He then provided me with the last four digits of the social security number connected with that delinquent account. It was not mine.
"This is the phone number that Wendy Leonard provided in connection with this credit card account," he advised.
The gentleman — very professionally, I might add — then apologized for disturbing me, and assured me he'd remove my phone number associated with that account.
But here's the thing I realized (which prompted me writing this article): Apparently, this "other" Wendy Leonard used the Internet to find another Wendy Leonard, and then used my phone number to facilitate her scam!
Had I not been the type of person who chooses to only have two credit cards; and, had I not been inspired (again, for some unknown reason) to inquire further...I really might have been duped! So, don't let that happen to you.
Okay, I feel much better now that I've shared this cautionary tale. Now, back to my normal day job of being a medical writer.
