Identity Theft

Discussion in 'Real Life Stories' started by garrison68, Aug 21, 2015.

  1. So the other day I got a letter from a bank, the name of which everybody would recognize, telling me of a new account I had opened. It included a blank check, deposit slip, account numbers and more was on the way. I did not open this account, and have never had an account with this bank. This was not online, it was a letter addressed to me at my place. I thought it might be phony, so I took it to the local branch and spoke with a manager. The bank did issue this letter to me, they had my SS#, and address, but they had cancelled it because they suspected something was wrong.


    I don't know why criminals would open a bank account using my name and address, since the bank had to contact me in such a case. Money laundering? It didn't have anything to do with credit cards or credit.


    I think they got my SS# and address from a large company I'd been enrolled in, which had my information, which was hacked into a couple of months ago. This had nothing to do with online banking, as I've never done that, and as I said nothing to do with credit cards.


    Fortunately, I found it before anything more could happen, and I enrolled in a program with a large established consumer credit reporting company to protect my ID from further accounts being opened, at a cost but it's worth it for the peace of mind. They'll send alerts if there's anything potentially bad.


    This sucks but it could have been worse. I just hate that they have my SS# and address, but it could happen to most anybody, and does - to over 8 million Americans a year.
     
  2. sucks man..
    glad the bank sorted it out..


    recently had someone get into my paypal account and try to send cash.. but paypal didn't recognise the computer and called me before they approved the payment.


    last year someone spent $11,000 on my business card on medical supplied in egypt lmao.
     
  3. My info was stolen after a hospital visit. They filed a fraudulent tax return in my name and got paid thru an online bank, and put the proceeds on a Green Dot card.


    I always thought the IRS was really on top of things....no way.


    My wife and I have filed jointly for 39 years, who ever did this return did it in just my name and didn't use my middle initial or the suffix after my name...and the IRS paid it.


    They got $3700.00 which was deposited by my wife to the account as an estimated tax payment.


    It took us almost a year and a call to our congressman to finally get it cleared up. And the fuckers tried to do it again the next year.
     
  4. Yeah, I got caught up in one of those hacked databases. Luckily no one has tried to do anything financial in my name. The company offered a free year of credit monitoring. I get a report every month from them. I think I'll continue the service after my free year is up. I don't carry cash and use my credit card for everything. Glad you caught the scam and hope it doesn't happen again- at least you're protected.
     
  5. You don't have to pay a dime to have the four major bureaus (do not forget about Innovis) place a fraud alert on your file that obligates issuers to actually get documentation before they open an account. It makes it more difficult to review your own credit online although it can still be done with some effort.


    I've been through it by the way...close to 15 years ago, I got hit to the tune of a quarter-mil in losses. It happened during a time where I was running pretty much on a cash basis and had next to no open credit lines (by choice). It still impacts me to this day because of bank mergers and there is one that was victimized for about $50K that still tries to hold it against me. I let the seven-year alert expire, although I still keep a security precaution designator on the bureau records. Haven't opened anything new in several years though...


    Lifelock and other services out there are scams in the sense that they charge you for what the law provides for free...



     
  6. Being targeted for money scams is extremely intrusive on one's life. Similar to mistaken identity and being persecuted for someone else's wrongdoings, the outcomes can be devastating to the victim's life. I'm fairly sure I've been on both ends of this spectrum because the members of my family are shady to say the least. However, feeling stuck under the control is just one symptom of fraudulent behavior. The IRS and such do their part by alerting you of these things when your name is on the line, however the damage done cannot be reversed, as the criminals have already obtained the information and subsequent money they aimed to retrieve. Good luck getting your sanity back, it might take several years to clear that up. [​IMG]
     
  7. You're 100% correct, but I've not gone through much, that's why I'm freezing all future credit and bank approvals from the three major credit reporting companies. I was very lucky, compared to some of those who have posted on this thread, and many other victims out there.


    I still don't understand what they hoped to do by opening a checking account with my name, SS# and address. Maybe they would have immediatly changed the address to have the checks send somewhere else, established a credit line, and abused it. Or, maybe they were going to launder money, finance terrorist activities, etc. I don't know and I'm just happy that I'm not going to go trough hell, and possibly lost assets, so paying for extra protection services is not a problem for me.
     
  8. If you haven't taken steps with Innovis then you are still very much at risk. There are actually real places that use Innovis and the majors do also report to them...


    The Big Three (Equifax/CSC. Experian and TransUnion) would like to have you believe they are the only players in the market and it appears that LifeLock and other similar services ALSO ignore Innovis...I would suggest that to do so is irresponsible on the part of both the service entities as well as the consumer.



     
  9. #9 garrison68, Aug 21, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 21, 2015
    Thank you for the information, I will definitely do what you advise and contact Innovis. This is one of the reasons I opened this thread, for more solutions and advice, not only for myself but others, as are all at risk. I just looked it up and it can be done online. To undo the credit freeze though, can only be done with a phone call or by mail, which is fine and is to be expected.


    Thanks again!






     
  10. I've worked as a cashier in a grocery store for a few years and many accounts of fraud happen right over the counter as you swipe each piece of plastic. Some factors you may be unaware of are openly giving your information to checkout clerks and not noticing who is standing behind you in line looking at your information as it is in your hand while it is in use. The mention of the Green Dot scam aroused my suspicion because for a time those cards were nullified due to many scams being present in those transactions. Every piece of plastic is processed in a different way, but they all break down to the currency trade/evaluation markets that offer those trades. Any gift card mall/outlet is a miniature exposure to openness in possible ways to be frauded out of your information and money right off the bat. And for those parents who may think that their kids are not capable of stealing their credit card info right under their nose, oblivious is just one word for that. But I'm not advocating the thought that all kids are miscreants stealing money from their parents; it is just an unfortunate side effect of a devastated economy at the present point in time. Just beware of how you share your information and the transparency of every transaction, both online and in person. Check those ID's!
     
  11. A lot of places around me are starting to ID every time if you use a card. One of my cards is for donating plasma and where the name should be it just says donor so I can't use it at some places which sucks but I understand.
     
  12. U can go on transunion.com and put an alert on your credit and they have to call you before any new account gets opened......but fuck it man, get some new shit and blame it on Id thief lol
     
  13. Inside job pigs and bank working together


     
  14. You got lucky. Might be the right time to invest in LifeLock. I think in 10-20 years services like that will be necessary for everybody.
     
  15. I was a victim of identity theft a while backed, caused a big fuckery and my social insurance number became invalid and my birth records were lost. I was removed from the system and became a ghost. It was caused by some papers signed with a photocopied signature. It was a massive headache.
     
  16. http://www.wired.com/2007/06/lifelock_founde/


    NOBODY needs to spend a dime to lock their credit reports down...the freeze is a free option REQUIRED under law to be offered by every one of the bureaus. And if you WERE going to spend money, why would it be with a company founded BY an individual implicated in numerous criminal acts?



    Further, there is some indication that the pay-for-service outfits ignore Innovis (the fourth major credit bureau).






     
  17. they still can find stuff out faster then you can. and yah of course anyone can freeze their credit but why would you want to have to call all 3 credit companies everytime you want to do something related to it? idk id rather have the peace of mind.
     
  18. Actually, no they can't...but if you want to waste money on marketing hype, go for it...especially if you like supporting a company founded BY a criminal.


    And just how often are you engaging in transactions where your report is in play? Personally, I haven't applied for anything new in a few years. American Express Platinum card gets the majority of my business and there just aren't any good credit offers out there that make it worth playing the balance transfer arbitrage game right now (those days sort of died with the mortgage meltdown, and were also the days where the started chopping unused lines).


    If you know how the credit game is played, you KNOW which bureau is being pulled, so it isn't even like you need to unfreeze all four of the majors...


    Oh, and with a security precaution on your bureau, any lender that chose to ignore the alert and not contact to verify the applicant is going to be on the hook to begin with...

     
  19. lol idk what got your panties in such a bunch. i just dont have the time to monitor all that shit, id rather just pay someone else to do it.
     

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