Attachment: AGO ID Theft Affidavit
The purpose of this procedure letter is to provide guidance for public children services agencies (PCSA) and private child placing agencies (PCPA) on obtaining annual credit reports and resolving inaccuracies for a youth in foster care. In accordance with the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (PL 112-34) and rule 5101:2-38-10 of the Administrative Code, agencies are required to request credit reports for youth 16 or older annually. Youth in foster care qualify for one credit report annually, at no cost, from each of the major credit reporting agencies (CRA). However, the method used to obtain the credit report of a minor youth is significantly different from the method used by adults to obtain a credit report.
The custodial agency is required to request a credit report from each of the three major CRAs. This may be completed simultaneously or separately throughout the year in order to monitor any corrections being made. Each CRA has developed a procedure to process requests for a credit report of a minor youth in foster care. The procedures are different for each of the three CRAs and the instructions for each CRA are outlined in this Procedure Letter.
Obtaining a Youth's Credit Report
The following information must be sent to each CRA to request the credit report:
- Youth's birth certificate or other legal documentation of the youth's full name and age.
- Verification that the agency has the legal authority to request the credit report information.
- Documentation that the youth is in foster care (e.g. a court order or other documents).
- Verification of the identity of the requester and that he/she has the right to request a credit report on behalf of a minor youth. This method shall be developed by the agency (e.g., a copy of the agency ID badge).
- Address of the agency where the credit report will be sent.
- Other information to assist the CRA in their search of a credit report for the youth may include, but is not limited to: the youth's current address and any other address from the past two years, nicknames, and social security number.
Instructions for Contacting Each CRA
EQUIFAX CRA
Send the required information to one of the individuals listed below:
|
Gary Pock - 678-795-7787 or gary.pock@equifax.com
Troy Kubes - 678-795-7777 or troy.kubes@equifax.com |
| At this time, Equifax is charging a fee for unlimited access to the database as needed to request credit reports. ODJFS is in the process of executing a contract with Equifax for county agency access to their database. Until the contract is executed, PCSAs are to request reports from Experian and TransUnion CRAs only. Agencies will be able to submit requests to Equifax once the ODJFS contract is in place. |
EXPERIAN CRA
Send the required information to:
|
| Experian National Consumer Assistance Center |
| PO Box 9701 |
| Allen, Texas 75013 |
| Sensitive information can be redacted from the court order as long as the identification of the minor remains intact. The CRA's response will be "No Record" or the credit report will be sent to the requestor (agency) through regular mail. For security purposes, the envelope will not indicate that it is from Experian. |
TransUnion CRA
Send the required information to one of the individuals listed below:
|
|
Angela Harp at 714-680-7268 or aharp@transunion.com |
|
Eric Rosenberg at 312-466-6323 or erosenb@transunion.com |
| Although there is no charge to obtain credit reports from TransUnion at this time, each county is responsible for contacting TransUnion and requesting a copy of the TransUnion Master Agreement for Consumer Reporting Services and other service agreements. Once the necessary documents have been completed to execute an agreement with TransUnion, the agency will be able to obtain credit reports from this CRA. |
A minor cannot enter into an agreement with a business, agency, or entity, and therefore should have no record with any credit bureau unless there is an error or the child is a victim of identity theft. If the credit report shows any irregularities or inconsistencies, the agency should contact the Ohio Attorney General's (AGO) office to request assistance in resolving the issue. To make a referral to the AGO, the agency must send copies of all information related to the credit report including correspondence with the CRAs, a cover letter on agency letterhead, and the completed AGO ID Theft Affidavit to:
Ohio Attorney General
Consumer Protection Section
30 E. Broad Street, 14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov
INSTRUCTIONS:
The following chart depicts what materials should be deleted from the Family, Children and Adult Services Manual (FCASM) and what materials should be inserted in the FCASM.
| LOCATION | REMOVE AND FILE AS OBSOLETE | INSERT/REPLACE |
|---|
| PROCEDURES LETTERS | | FCASPL No. 240 |
Attachment: AGO ID Theft Affidavit