Identity Theft (They're getting me good)

MrLuckey · Aug 15, 2004

Last week I received a letter from one of my credit card companies thanking me for transferring $6100 of debt from International Bank to my card. Damn I thought, someone keyed in the wrong acct #. Someone apparently knows all my vital information :yikes: I now had a ton of paperwork on the way to fill out. My account was cancelled and a new card and acct # sent. The very next day I got a phone call from a credit card company with whom I do not have an account. Someone had opened TWO accounts in my name and had the cards sent to 311 N Robertson Blvd apt 397 Beverly Hills 90211 :( Another ton of paperwork is on the way. I talked to a fraud specialist for about an hour and have the following info:

NEVER use your mothers maiden name for anything.
Call your local postal inspector ASAP if you are a victim.
You can file a 'victim Statement Alert' with Equifax, TransUnion & Experion to stop new accounts being tied to your SSN. Temp = 90 days, Long Term = 7 years. They will check with you before ANY account is opened in your name or tied to your SSN.
Any account you are going to quit using, CALL AND CANCEL. Dormant accounts are apparently the easiest targets (this was not what happened to me however).

Got word today that apparently another credit card account has been opened in my name......Bastages.

I have no idea how much this is going to take to get straightened out but I bet this is just the beginning.

ELK - Check out that address bro

Chili · Aug 15, 2004

That sucks, I was the victim of a low level credit card fraud a few months back. it all worked out but it was a major PITA to get straightened away. The worst part for me is I'm still unsure of how my card info was compromised as I still had it in my possession at the time of the frauds.

truespode · Aug 15, 2004

That sux man. Good luck on getting it all sorted out.

Ivan

slodsm · Aug 15, 2004

Wow, that truly sucks man. I hope you get it all worked out. I am really surprised that it has not happened to me since I have done the majority of my shopping online for about 5 years now.

WaltCMoto · Aug 15, 2004

Sorry to hear Eddie,
When I lost my wallet,I thought that was a hassle. I cant imagine the headache, stress and crap you will face.
Good luck

Moteaux · Aug 15, 2004

Eddie, I feel for you. I haven't had it happen but it would make me more mad than anything for that to happen. Stinkin' thieves!!

Best of luck getting it sorted out.

GETMETOCA · Aug 16, 2004

That sucks Eddie. Those bastages!!!

trout · Aug 16, 2004

horrible!

check out creditboards.com and look around, someone there might also have some advice.

Rooster · Aug 16, 2004

Damn Eddie, that sucks big time. Hope you get it all straightened out, and those bastages get a new boyfriend in the pen.

cr2504life · Aug 16, 2004

The same thing just recently happend to my mom. My parents rarly use credit or anything but when they were going to get a new truck the guys at ford did a credit check and something turned up. Apparently they got her info and because she has always had good credit the bastages applied for a credit card with a 50,000 limit. :yikes: . and got approved. They had ever bit of her info except her address. The funny thing is the bank had wrote it off and never even contacted her(well they said they tried but couldn't get ahold of her :think: . I guess the bank CIBC would rather pay it off than go public an give their customers a scare.
THen a month later same thing happend to my girlfriend except shes a student so they turned down the 50000 dollar credit card application. :nener: . Apparently they crooks set up somthing in a bank machine and copy the card and pin. They kept "depositing money and then withdrawing it right away. She got a call notifiying her about supicious activity. Needless to say they both are STILL filling out paperwork.

LoriKTM · Aug 16, 2004

Ugh, that really sucks, Eddie. Any ideas how it might have happened? Someone going through your mailbox, or garbage, and picking out personal info?

Hope you get your situation resolved with a minimum of fuss-- sounds like you got everyone involved right away. :(

blackhawk468 · Aug 16, 2004

that sucks!

a454elk · Aug 16, 2004

Dude, that sounds like a po box or a mail box they can grab the mail in. Man, that sucks, KICK 'EM IN THE JIMMY!! Good luck.

squeaky · Aug 16, 2004

Damn Eddie, good luck sorting everything out.

Something similar almost happened to PK and my mom not too long ago, but they had one of those Capital One cards that watches your activity and informs you if there's anything suspicious.

Word of advice...invest in a shredder if you don't have one already. (Or use your fire bowl to get rid of paperwork with personal info on it!!)

KelvinKDX · Aug 16, 2004

Dang Eddie - that ain't good. Good luck in cleaning it all up. I heard a story on the radio last month about a woman who had her identity stolen and she was extremely persistant and ended up actually catching the person who stole her identity. She had called around to all of the local stores and informed them to call her immediately if anyone tried to open an account in her name. She missed several times before actually catching them at a JCPenney's (with the cops at her side) while they tried to use the card they had just applied for in her name.

Keep up the fight. If i get a new bike shortly - please do not suspect anything!! :joke:

MrLuckey · Aug 16, 2004

Thanks for the kind words all. I don't believe I will be out any money over this deal, just a ton of paperwork, phone calls, and hopefully it won't affect my credit.

Elk - YOU kick them in the Jimmy bro, you're much closer ;)

KelvinKDX · Aug 17, 2004

MrLuckey said:
Elk - YOU kick them in the Jimmy bro, you're much closer ;)

I never heard of kicking them in the "Jimmy" sounds funny ... but being a Jimmy i don't like it!! Some guy named Richard must have come up with that one! :think:

Wraith · Aug 17, 2004

I feel for ya, because I've been in your shoes. I was lucky though and just happend to stumble onto what they where doing to my account before it got to serious. I now hear that they are somehow using infant to childrens I.Ds now to get Credit Cards and such.

placelast · Aug 18, 2004

Sorry to hear about the trouble, Eduardo.

Do you think it could have happened after an on-line purchase?

My wife had a thought: keep an eye on cashiers who do more than just look-to-verify our driver's licenses, or atttempt to step out of sight for a moment. A big no-no. Not to say they did that to you; just be on the alert.

Patman · Aug 18, 2004

So Ed are you going to post a picture of your new identity so I can recognize you at DW this year?

Okiewan · Aug 18, 2004

Eddie,
Contact the credit agencies... they have a deal where nothing (new accounts, etc) can be added to your file without you acknowleging it first.

MrLuckey · Aug 18, 2004

Okiewan said:
Eddie,
Contact the credit agencies... they have a deal where nothing (new accounts, etc) can be added to your file without you acknowleging it first.

You can file a 'victim Statement Alert' with Equifax, TransUnion & Experion to stop new accounts being tied to your SSN. Temp = 90 days, Long Term = 7 years. They will check with you before ANY account is opened in your name or tied to your SSN.

The above is what the fraud specialist told me to file with the credit agencies. I assume it's the same?

dirt bike dave · Aug 18, 2004

I called Trans-Union at 800-680-7289. They call it a 'Security Alert Statement' . It sounds exactly like the 'victim statement alert' Eddie mentioned, except that the computer voice told me it would be in effect for 12 months (no choice was offered for short or long term).

It was all automated and via voicemail - took only a few minutes. The TransUnion recordings told me they would alert the other two agencies. Supposedly, now nobody can open a new account under my ID for the next 12 months without directly verifying it with me.

As a side benefit, by starting a 'security alert statement', the voice told me all 3 major credit agencies will send me my credit reports within 6-8 days, for free. It usually costs about $25 - $40 if you want to pull all 3 of your credit reports.

thumbs · Aug 18, 2004

That address is only 10.2 miles from my office. I have a rope and I'm on my way there. Check the headline in torrows LA TIMES to see what happens.

BSWIFT · Aug 19, 2004

Patman said:
So Ed are you going to post a picture of your new identity so I can recognize you at DW this year?

A small smile for a bad situation. Good one, though! Hang in there Mr.

Identity Theft (They're getting me good)

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