Identity Theft ?

[Murph]

I get hundreds of offers to sell me protection, as I'm sure, do you. This came up at work lately, then in a club, and we, (dozens of people, who know hundreds of people each, meaning thousands of people) could find NO one, who even KNEW anyone, who has ever had this happen to them, on a "lifechanging event" scale.....

 

I mean, you read about it and you hear about it, but actually, my bank knows me, my credit card debt. is, not so much, ect.

 

Isn't it pretty much just selling fear insurance?

 

[nikko18]

That's America for you.

[Murph]

That's America for you.

 

They only sell it in America?

[nikko18]

No, but the idea started here I bet.

[Murph]

No' date=' but the idea started here I bet.[/quote']

 

So?

 

America is......?

[Blackie]

I pitty the fool steals my identity......in fact it might be good ......then I could blame them for my bad credit etc.

[Riffster]

When my wife was changing her last name to mine there was a lady at the Social Security office pretty much begging and screaming for help as somebody was using her social security number to get loans and open credit cards, she said the thief had gotten $42,000 so far.

 

One of my best friends got a $2,900 bill from Radio Shack, he called, they said "he" had opened an account, received a $3,000 credit line and proceeded to spend $2900 at that moment, the lady on the phone realized that it did not sound logical. My friend has a lock on his credit.

 

I have had a debit card number cancelled by my bank as they said "it had been compromised" I got a new one with different numbers.

 

My wife received a letter from American Express telling her that they discover one of their ex-employees sold personal information in bulk, they advised my wife to check her credit and asked her to be careful since identity theft could happen, WTF! thanks for the warning American Express! it is them that were not careful and they have the fu**ing nerve to tell us to be careful?

 

So, yea Murph it does happen. I am not sure the insurance is any good.

 

I do have some as part of my Home Insurance it is a buy up.

[Murph]

When my wife was changing her last name to mine there was a lady at the Social Security office pretty much begging and screaming for help as somebody was using her social security number to get loans and open credit cards' date=' she said the thief had gotten $42,000 so far.

[/quote']

 

Okay. Let's look at this, for real.

 

Somebody borrowed $ 42,000.00 on this lady, and she didn't sign anything? Her bank didn't question this?

 

I'm NOT buying it.......

 

It's fiction.......

 

"Just sayin'......"

[Big Bill]

No it's not fiction, this has happened to me. Lets look at this "for real", I have Murph's address, phone number, social security number and bank info. I can rack up thousands of dollars in credit card debt and I can empty your bank account in a matter of a couple of hours.

 

Lets test it out, send us the above info and lets see how much damage we can do. Then you will have to spend the next couple of years trying to prove it wasn't you that borrowed all that money. It's not fun...

[Riffster]

It baffles me how it happens but that lady was not acting, she said the dude had been at it for a while.

 

I did not grow in the USA so I do not have a long credit history, I had $65,000 in the bank and the only way the same bank would give me a credit card back then was to deposit $500 and I would have a $500 limit, the annual fee was $75. And somehow they give credit without even checking to some people?.

[Witmer]

I didn't have my entire identity stolen, but someone did get my credit card number. I got a statement with a bunch of charges from Italy, where I've never been. Subway tickets, a couple of meals... but you know what the biggest charges were for? From some guy in Italy - land of beautiful women, beautiful food, and romance at every corner cafe?

 

An internet dating site.

 

Dude, GO OUTSIDE!!!

 

I got a card with different numbers, of course.

[ShredAstaire]

It baffles me how it happens but that lady was not acting' date=' she said the dude had been at it for a while.

 

I did not grow in the USA so I do not have a long credit history, I had $65,000 in the bank and the only way the same bank would give me a credit card back then was to deposit $500 and I would have a $500 limit, the annual fee was $75. And somehow they give credit without even checking to some people?.

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Its better to have sh!tty credit than NO credit.....seems backwards, but thats how she goes!

[pohatu771]

I had a charge on my debit card once... it was less than $5, but I traced the phone number to what I was told is the "Eastern European Mafia."

 

I was without my debit card for a week while a new one was being sent to me - I had a three-day trip to Boston during that time and had to cover all of my expenses on the $100 cash I had in my pocket.

[Big Bill]

I had a charge on my debit card once... it was less than $5' date=' but I traced the phone number to what I was told is the "Eastern European Mafia."

 

I was without my debit card for a week while a new one was being sent to me - I had a three-day trip to Boston during that time and had to cover all of my expenses on the $100 cash I had in my pocket.[/quote']

 

I was told by the bank that the thieves do this to test the card to see if it's good and then sell the information to other crooks. They use a very low amount so that it will not raise any alarms. Fortunately you were on your toes and caught it in time.

[pohatu771]

I was told by the bank that the thieves do this to test the card to see if it's good and then sell the information to other crooks. They use a very low amount so that it will not raise any alarms. Fortunately you were on your toes and caught it in time.

When I searched the phone number, I found a site where thousands of people had reported the same thing - and for the same amount. $4.77, I believe.

 

I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't bought something that day. I was just making sure the payment went through and noticed the extra one.

[Riffster]

Its better to have sh!tty credit than NO credit.....seems backwards' date=' but thats how she goes![/quote']

 

Oh yea that is exactly how it is, with no credit they do not know what to do with you.

 

Here is the kicker, later on I read on the news that Bank of America (my bank) had a program where they where lending to illegal aliens even enough to buy houses and also credit cards. Still no luck for me.

 

I have started establishing credit by applying for stuff through the company I work for, I found that if I apply for any stuff contained in our Employee Discount Program I get approved.

 

Not having credit is bad but I also so not use it or need it all that much, I just want to have it because insurance companies are taking your credit score into account when they set rates.