Comments on: ID Theft – 7 Unauthorized Credit Cards Opened In My Name http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:47:49 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: TC http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-453542 TC Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:27:29 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-453542 What really sucks is that when you go to the SSA to order a replacement card, they mail it to your home. Anything can happen to it on the way to your home. As in the case of my 19 yr old son. We requested (in person) a card, and were told to expect it within 2-3 weeks. Well my younger sons came just 5 days later, and the 19 yr olds never did. A check with the CB's showed that attempts were made to open up credit cards. So either someone in the USPS took it, or it dropped on the way to the truck somehow, OR one of my neighbors is a THIEF. SSA 'assumes' no liability in the issuance of the cards, YET they could prevent this by issuing them in person. What really sucks is that when you go to the SSA to order a replacement card, they mail it to your home. Anything can happen to it on the way to your home. As in the case of my 19 yr old son.

We requested (in person) a card, and were told to expect it within 2-3 weeks. Well my younger sons came just 5 days later, and the 19 yr olds never did.

A check with the CB’s showed that attempts were made to open up credit cards. So either someone in the USPS took it, or it dropped on the way to the truck somehow, OR one of my neighbors is a THIEF. SSA ‘assumes’ no liability in the issuance of the cards, YET they could prevent this by issuing them in person.

]]> By: Deborah http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-403009 Deborah Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:01:16 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-403009 I just learned last week that someone stole my identity. She opened an account at a national eyeglass store and charged over #1300 in frames. The store was over 100 miles from the city where I live, the phone number she gave the clerk did not even have the same area code....do you think the clerk saw the red flags? The store did not even ask for a second form of ID, only a drivers' license. (Fake, of course) A sharp eyed clerk at the Capitol One office noticed that the address on a new card application was different than the Capitol One account I already had and took the time out to call me to inquire if I just applied for a new card. That was how I learned someone stole my identity. Since then I got a letter from Sears asking about strange activity on my "new" Sears Master Card (thank God for even that small amount of vigilance). This is a never ending nightmare and I have no idea where it will end. Our local sheriff's office is very helpful and is working with the fraud departments of Sears and the eye glass store. I just learned last week that someone stole my identity. She opened an account at a national eyeglass store and charged over #1300 in frames. The store was over 100 miles from the city where I live, the phone number she gave the clerk did not even have the same area code….do you think the clerk saw the red flags? The store did not even ask for a second form of ID, only a drivers’ license. (Fake, of course) A sharp eyed clerk at the Capitol One office noticed that the address on a new card application was different than the Capitol One account I already had and took the time out to call me to inquire if I just applied for a new card. That was how I learned someone stole my identity. Since then I got a letter from Sears asking about strange activity on my “new” Sears Master Card (thank God for even that small amount of vigilance). This is a never ending nightmare and I have no idea where it will end. Our local sheriff’s office is very helpful and is working with the fraud departments of Sears and the eye glass store.

]]> By: identitythefthurts.com » Blog Archive » We Investigated. We were wrong. http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-395490 identitythefthurts.com » Blog Archive » We Investigated. We were wrong. Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:36:05 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-395490 [...] Newton posted a well-written personal account of her identity theft [...] [...] Newton posted a well-written personal account of her identity theft [...]

]]> By: Ultimate Collection of Credit Card Posts (Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog) http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-377835 Ultimate Collection of Credit Card Posts (Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog) Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:06:18 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-377835 [...] I decided to highlight this post which is about one of the authors (not Jeffrey) true experience of having 7 unauthorized credit cards opened in his name. What a massive identity [...] [...] I decided to highlight this post which is about one of the authors (not Jeffrey) true experience of having 7 unauthorized credit cards opened in his name. What a massive identity [...]

]]> By: Stella Sabian http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-165207 Stella Sabian Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:21:02 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-165207 it's just a scary experience. it actually shows that ANYONE can be a victim. folks, it seems to me that the only method to save your personal information is to become a total paranoid... but that's the way really... it’s just a scary experience. it actually shows that ANYONE can be a victim. folks, it seems to me that the only method to save your personal information is to become a total paranoid… but that’s the way really…

]]> By: Some dork http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-117909 Some dork Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:56:17 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-117909 Sounds to me like we all just need to buy a gun and get off the grid. There is no way of protecting yourself when you're just a number to someone. My date of birth and social security number... Heck, who doesn't have that? I couldn't prove who I was even when I showed up in person. Sounds to me like we all just need to buy a gun and get off the grid. There is no way of protecting yourself when you’re just a number to someone. My date of birth and social security number… Heck, who doesn’t have that? I couldn’t prove who I was even when I showed up in person.

]]> By: vsjhoc http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-104032 vsjhoc Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:32:03 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-104032 Credit freezes are now available in Texas. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/pyip/stories/DN-moneytalk_03bus.ART.State.Edition1.35aa55a.html Credit freezes are now available in Texas.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/pyip/stories/DN-moneytalk_03bus.ART.State.Edition1.35aa55a.html

]]> By: Carnival of Money Stories Edition 23/24 « Carnival of Money Stories - Read About Personal Finance http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-100666 Carnival of Money Stories Edition 23/24 « Carnival of Money Stories - Read About Personal Finance Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:03:10 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-100666 [...] Saving Advice on his ID Theft Story. [...] [...] Saving Advice on his ID Theft Story. [...]

]]> By: Belated Carnival Roundup (Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog) http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-99579 Belated Carnival Roundup (Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog) Tue, 04 Sep 2007 03:15:15 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-99579 [...] Advice of how 7 unauthorized credit cards were opened in his name is a wake up call on how important it is to protect your [...] [...] Advice of how 7 unauthorized credit cards were opened in his name is a wake up call on how important it is to protect your [...]

]]> By: Amy http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html/comment-page-1#comment-95021 Amy Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:41:19 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/08/24/101715_id-theft-7-unauthorized-credit-cards-opened-in-my-name.html#comment-95021 No kidding--why do I need to hand over my social security number in order to get my teeth cleaned? To be identified by dental records in the event of a tragic death, I guess? But it still seems unnecessary. I always leave that field blank or write "prefer not to answer." No one has ever questioned this. I like the idea of using a dummy birth date and perhaps even a dummy social security number when it's asked for unnecessarily (though I'm not sure that the ramifications of that might be). I'm really glad that you wrote this article. It is important for us to know that ID theft really can happen to anyone, even those of us who understand the issue and think we are doing everything right. Apparently we need to be doing more. I think it's just downright shitty how the credit industry does nothing to stop ID theft and then wants to charge people good money to monitor their own credit. Nonetheless, this is probably what I will end up doing, since the alternative is a lot of stress and wasted time at best and ruined credit and legal battles at worst. Argh. We need to get the political activists all over this issue until the system is changed in such a way that ID theft is no longer so simple and rampant. I wish you the best in getting this mess behind you. No kidding–why do I need to hand over my social security number in order to get my teeth cleaned? To be identified by dental records in the event of a tragic death, I guess? But it still seems unnecessary. I always leave that field blank or write “prefer not to answer.” No one has ever questioned this.

I like the idea of using a dummy birth date and perhaps even a dummy social security number when it’s asked for unnecessarily (though I’m not sure that the ramifications of that might be).

I’m really glad that you wrote this article. It is important for us to know that ID theft really can happen to anyone, even those of us who understand the issue and think we are doing everything right. Apparently we need to be doing more.

I think it’s just downright shitty how the credit industry does nothing to stop ID theft and then wants to charge people good money to monitor their own credit. Nonetheless, this is probably what I will end up doing, since the alternative is a lot of stress and wasted time at best and ruined credit and legal battles at worst. Argh. We need to get the political activists all over this issue until the system is changed in such a way that ID theft is no longer so simple and rampant.

I wish you the best in getting this mess behind you.

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