Identity theft

[sdsrfr]

Anyone here been through it? Looking for a checklist of things i need to take care of.

got an email from Amex about a new credit card I did not open. Confirmed with Amex my info is out there and it was indeed a fraudulent application.

agent at Amex said I should call the credit score companies (Experain, etc) and notify them of the activity.

anything else?

 

[flyinraptr]

Anyone here been through it? Looking for a checklist of things i need to take care of.

got an email from Amex about a new credit card I did not open. Confirmed with Amex my info is out there and it was indeed a fraudulent application.

agent at Amex said I should call the credit score companies (Experain, etc) and notify them of the activity.

anything else?

Change the passwords to all of your online financial accounts, social media accounts immediately. Check the login history on those accounts ... see if it lines up with your normal activity or if there is any suspicious login attempts. if you're bank or other financial institution offers a free credit check ... do it. Look for recent credit check requests etc. Sign up with LifeLock or something similar - even if it is only for a trial period and have a scan done for your information out on the internet - you can always opt out of the subscription later. Don't f*ck around or dilly dally with this ... the faster you act the better off you;ll be. Good Luck.

 

[Who's Your Daddy]

I don't have much time...but freeze your credit agencies immediately. That will stop any new lines of credit.

I had mine stolen years ago. They got about $15k in merchandise at point of sale credit, $15k in cash from my bank, and stole a rental car (never recovered)....all from a social, birthday, and address from a improperly disposed auto loan application at a dealership.

It took over 100 hours of my time to get out all the crap. GL

 

[sussle]

I don't have much time...but freeze your credit agencies immediately. That will stop any new lines of credit.

this should be SOP for everyone, always, and for your minor children as well. it's a slightly different process from Equifax to Transunion to Experian, so it's a brief PITA but well worth it. once your credit is frozen, no one can open an account in your name and it's an easy process to temporarily unlock as needed. also, take advantage of every credit monitoring freebie that comes your way - they are useful.

and if you can't find the time, consider that your PII credit info is already out in the wild from previous hacks like Equifax, Yahoo, Experian, US Gov OPM, Home Depot etc etc etc....so go find the time now before you wish you had already done so.

 

[crustBrother]

freeze your credit agencies immediately

this is especially good advice for anyone reading this thread who has not yet suffered identity theft

oh, looks like @sussle already said that...

this should be SOP for everyone, always, and for your minor children as well

i tried to lock my kids credit with the big three, was unable, and was given to understand that it is not possible, but that was quite some time ago. glad to hear it can be done now!

here's the links for anyone who hasn't done this yet.

Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File for Free - Experian

A security freeze, often known as a credit freeze, will limit access to your Experian credit report. Here's how to freeze and unfreeze your Experian credit report for free.

www.experian.com

https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze

https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/

 

[hammies]

I keep my credit frozen all the time on all 3. Would recommend.

 

[sdsrfr]

Thanks folks -

experian credit freeze - check
experian free acct for monitoring - check
equifacts 1yr monitoring - check
identitytheft.gov registered - check
deposits and withdrawals frozen on major accounts - check

man, this is annoying. Yes, freeze your credit before this happens, don’t let the attackers authenticate the info they find.

looks like a data leak from my employer put my SSN out there, according to experian dark web scan

 

[Will there be snacks]

this is especially good advice for anyone reading this thread who has not yet suffered identity theft

oh, looks like @sussle already said that...



i tried to lock my kids credit with the big three, was unable, and was given to understand that it is not possible, but that was quite some time ago. glad to hear it can be done now!

here's the links for anyone who hasn't done this yet.

Freeze or Unfreeze Your Credit File for Free - Experian

A security freeze, often known as a credit freeze, will limit access to your Experian credit report. Here's how to freeze and unfreeze your Experian credit report for free.

www.experian.com

https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze

https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/

Thanks. Just froze all 3. It doesn't take much time. Maybe 15 minutes for all 3.

Sorry @sdsrfr and anyone else who has had to deal with this type of thing. Most peeps lives are pretty hectic without piling on something extra like this.

 

[santacruzin]

I keep my credit frozen all the time on all 3. Would recommend.

Same. And I have dual factor auth on most of my big accounts. Stocks, retirements , etc.

my bank texts me every time money comes out, I monitor my money and assets religiously.

 

[sdsrfr]

Same. And I have dual factor auth on most of my big accounts. Stocks, retirements , etc.

my bank texts me every time money comes out, I monitor my money and assets religiously.

In hindsight I’m like wtf was I leaving the door wide open on some of these things.

i track my money religiously as well. at first thought the Amex email was phishing but domain looked legit enough to pick up the phone and call their fraud line.

voice deep fake or whatever it’s called scares the fuggg out of me. you really need to have social engineering proof security questions bc that’s always a way in.

 

[santacruzin]

In hindsight I’m like wtf was I leaving the door wide open on some of these things.

i track my money religiously as well. at first thought the Amex email was phishing but domain looked legit enough to pick up the phone and call their fraud line.

voice deep fake or whatever it’s called scares the fuggg out of me. you really need to have social engineering proof security questions bc that’s always a way in.

Don’t beat yourself up. sh!t Happens , everyone should assume their data is out there and take all precautions.


fucking corporations not keeping our stuff safe

 

[sdsrfr]

Don’t beat yourself up. sh!t Happens , everyone should assume their data is out there and take all precautions.


fucking corporations not keeping our stuff safe

Funny or not funny, got an email just now my dell purchase history was compromised.

i get an oops we got hacked often enough to hardly notice.

 

[SurfFuerteventura]

Easy solution? Live your life like a poor dirtbag who hasn’t had any source of declarable income in over 20 years.

When I filed my taxes this year, 1st time in 15 years, the program said “you are not required to file”.

all boxes were ZERO.

Only taxes I pay are sales, car and property. My entire tax nut per year is less than my bro in the US
spends on a business dinner. He’s rich, apparently, drives a Maserati, takes European first class golf vacation, etc… only it’s all smoke and mirrors, he owns nothing, leases everything and works like an animal to pay the bills at the end of the month.

Yet, I own my home free and clear, my car free and clear, have a shack full of surfboards and do not have to get up for work…. Except when my mom wakes up… but one day, she won’t again, and then I can return to my carefree life of “where to surf today, and what to eat”.


the advantages of being cash poor….


Less really IS MORE.

 

[Pico]

Change passwords and require 2-Step verification.

Trust me these guys attack on Sundays when everyone is asleep and will try to fuck you. Ive been compromised. They tried to commander my business and installed fake employees and rerouted the credit card purchases to be deposited into their account. I called their bank and it seemed they were almost in colusion. Sofa king weird. What a way to spend a weekend away.

 

[Subway]

Lifelock people. It’s like $200 per Year and they do all that stuff, plus insure you for a million bucks

you spend $200 on wax and leash strings for crying out loud

 

[crustBrother]

Lifelock people. It’s like $200 per Year and they do all that stuff

might want to double-check that one, good sir

my understanding is that lifelock is "monitoring" - which is GREAT, but not as great as actually "locking" your credit with the big three

edit: looks like i was partially wrong there. they now monitor all three and lock one.

 

[crustBrother]

this should be SOP for everyone, always, and for your minor children as well

just got off the phone with my mom

identity stolen



so anyways add "parents" to "children"

the old folks are extra vulnerable to this sh!t

 

[Mr Doof]

just got off the phone with my mom

identity stolen



so anyways add "parents" to "children"

the old folks are extra vulnerable to this sh!t

Sister-in-law gets her mom an iPhone "so she can be easier to reach".

Mom-in-law gets stacks of scam calls on new phone from everywhere in the world.

Mom-in-law turns off iPhone.

Sister-in-law complains her mom is now more difficult to reach.

I still send mother-in-law postcards with inane comments about my observations of the chaos that is life. Since she keeps giving me blank postcards at Xmas, am thinking she either has a trunk of these things from a failed business or she has forgotten she gave me the same gift for the last decade.

 

[SrPato]

might want to double-check that one, good sir

my understanding is that lifelock is "monitoring" - which is GREAT, but not as great as actually "locking" your credit with the big three

edit: looks like i was partially wrong there. they now monitor all three and lock one.

View attachment 180047

We used Lifelock awhile back. My wife's identity was stolen while on Lifelock. Multiple accounts were opened in her name and Lifelock didn't notify us of sh!t. Since then we keep our credit frozen and haven't had a problem.

 

[Chocki]

Mom almost fell for the car warranty scam