On 4-30-03 my husband purchased a motorcycle from "Fun Bike Center" in San Diego, CA. We paid the first Payment of $226.01, which was due on 6-08-03 on time. We paid off the entire balance of $10,604.98 on 07-03-03, which cleared the bank on 7-08-03. We have copies of the checks and the payoff stating paid in full 07-31-03. We also have the pink slip to the motorcycle.

In August we received a statement for the next payment. We contacted Household Retail Service using the phone number on the statement "800-685-0809" and they said there was no record of that account number or our name in their system. HRS told us not to worry about it; the paperwork probable had not caught up with the system.

We kept receiving a bill every month with the balance increasing and the minimum payment due increasing. The bill we currently have was due on 11-07-03 and states past due amount 1,640.00 and past due 120 days late. We called HRS again they said there were two separate accounts under our name for the same purchase.

I looked at a copy of our checks we had sent them and noticed the account number we referenced on the check did not match the account number on the past due account. The last four digits were different. They asked us to fax them a copy of the bill so they could review it. We faxed a copy on 10-24-03 to "Tamaqua" at "630-521-4029". (We have the copy of the Fax).

We are in the middle of re-financing our home and my husband's credit rating went from the 700's to the 500's. He could not be put on the loan due to bad credit. We have not closed the loan yet; I hope the loan goes through.

My husband called HRS again on 11-06-03 and he was getting the run-around. They kept transferring him to several different departments. They all acted like they had never heard of this problem before. My husband requested to speak to a supervisor. He was told letters were sent out on 10-29-03 to Equifax etc to clear this up.

On 11-12-03 we obtained a copy of our credit report. The report for HRS showed Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. In the account status box it stated "late over 120 days balanced due $10,640. The account number for these were all different. The Equifax only had a partial number with the first 4 digits missing and the last 9 digits "xxxx". Experian and TransUnion showed the account number with an xxxxxx"33"xxxxx in it. Neither of the accounts have a "33" in it.

On 11-12-03 we received a letter from Sears stating due to the bad credit and past due accounts they are closing our account. We do not even have an account with Sears open. I am sure we will receive more letters like this. When is this going to stop?

I will be sending proof of payment and a copy of this letter and all documentation relating to this problem to Equifax, Experian, TransUnion and the Federal Trade Commission.