Crazy story involving ID fraud

tdu · January 9th, 2007, 05:30 PM

I know a lot of people constantly worry about their credit cards numbers or other info being stolen online.

Well...today I got a call from a bank credit card company saying someone had tried to apply for a credit card using my Social Insurance number. The used the number, but a different address and different birthdate.

After calling the numbers I had to call to report the problem (credit agencies), it turns out whoever it was had filed for multiple applications.

Basically I got my info flagged so that these applications are refused, and that my account is on alert for any more activity like this for 6 years.

I am thankul to the guy from the credit card company though who informed me of the suspicious activity and told me what to do. I know he was just doing his job, but the scarey thing is none of the other credit card companies this person applied to NEVER called me! And the records show the applications to them were sent in weeks ago.

Obviously someone stole my card number and got my name, but they didn't get it online. I never use my S.I.N online for anything. Just goes to show you you have to watch out.

I use my credit card to buy stuff online a lot, so I always worry about someone getting into it. You don't expect something like Social Insurance number fraud out of the blue though.

Dillon · January 9th, 2007, 06:51 PM

Indeed. Many thanks to those folks who watch out for our good credit. We can never thank them enough.

A number of years back, we had a card seized on our first day at Disney World, after having spent a week in Washington, D.C. We were miffed and embarrassed at the time...a family trip with guests and all. When we spoke with the card issuer in San Diego, we were informed that someone was attempting to purchase multiple one-way airline tickets between Richmond, VA and LAX from a known crack house address in Philadelphia so they froze our account. How do they know this stuff?

I guess I'm just glad they do.

popthree · January 9th, 2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdu

I
Obviously someone stole my card number and got used my name, but they didn't get it online online. I never use my S.I.N online for anything. Just goes to show you you have to watch out.

just because you don't use your SSN online doesn't mean no one does. I can guarantee you the IRS uses your SSN online, not to mention your employer, and your insurance company....just to name a few.

Guitarzan · January 9th, 2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popthree

just because you don't use your SSN online doesn't mean no one does. I can guarantee you the IRS uses your SSN online, not to mention your employer, and your insurance company....just to name a few.

Dude, he's in Canada, the IRS isn't there.

tdu · January 9th, 2007, 09:11 PM

popthree, the odds are more likely with this type of fraud that someone found something I threw out that had the number on it though. Which I am normally really careful about just because you HEAR about stuff like this happening. This is just a warning story that is actually DOES happen.

I have learned a few things from this though. I am pretty young, and I have never had a credit report issued to me. I did so today, so that I could get a record of this stuff. The report showed all kinds of crazy stuff like open bank accounts that were supposed to be closed years ago, and erroneous information about banks loans I had years ago. These are all things I can now get fixed. I would have never even known about them.

Clive Hugh · January 10th, 2007, 09:24 AM

A friend of mine is an electrical planner with one of the largest mining companies in the world. He has a company card for stuff he needs for work. A couple of years ago he paid for some electric motors and the clerk at the other end was not meant to keep the card info on the computer but to make his life easier he did.
Someone in the US hacked the site and got my friends work card details. The first he knew about it was when the company was informed about it from a law enforcement agency in the US. So fraud has no boundaries.

January 9th, 2007, 05:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,532 11 Photos	Crazy story involving ID fraud I know a lot of people constantly worry about their credit cards numbers or other info being stolen online. Well...today I got a call from a bank credit card company saying someone had tried to apply for a credit card using my Social Insurance number. The used the number, but a different address and different birthdate. After calling the numbers I had to call to report the problem (credit agencies), it turns out whoever it was had filed for multiple applications. Basically I got my info flagged so that these applications are refused, and that my account is on alert for any more activity like this for 6 years. I am thankul to the guy from the credit card company though who informed me of the suspicious activity and told me what to do. I know he was just doing his job, but the scarey thing is none of the other credit card companies this person applied to NEVER called me! And the records show the applications to them were sent in weeks ago. Obviously someone stole my card number and got my name, but they didn't get it online. I never use my S.I.N online for anything. Just goes to show you you have to watch out. I use my credit card to buy stuff online a lot, so I always worry about someone getting into it. You don't expect something like Social Insurance number fraud out of the blue though. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff: Last edited by tdu; January 10th, 2007 at 09:55 AM.

January 9th, 2007, 09:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,532 11 Photos	popthree, the odds are more likely with this type of fraud that someone found something I threw out that had the number on it though. Which I am normally really careful about just because you HEAR about stuff like this happening. This is just a warning story that is actually DOES happen. I have learned a few things from this though. I am pretty young, and I have never had a credit report issued to me. I did so today, so that I could get a record of this stuff. The report showed all kinds of crazy stuff like open bank accounts that were supposed to be closed years ago, and erroneous information about banks loans I had years ago. These are all things I can now get fixed. I would have never even known about them. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

January 9th, 2007, 06:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dillon Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego County Posts: 306 90 Photos	Indeed. Many thanks to those folks who watch out for our good credit. We can never thank them enough. A number of years back, we had a card seized on our first day at Disney World, after having spent a week in Washington, D.C. We were miffed and embarrassed at the time...a family trip with guests and all. When we spoke with the card issuer in San Diego, we were informed that someone was attempting to purchase multiple one-way airline tickets between Richmond, VA and LAX from a known crack house address in Philadelphia so they froze our account. How do they know this stuff? I guess I'm just glad they do.

January 10th, 2007, 09:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
Clive Hugh Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Western Australia Age: 64 Posts: 617	A friend of mine is an electrical planner with one of the largest mining companies in the world. He has a company card for stuff he needs for work. A couple of years ago he paid for some electric motors and the clerk at the other end was not meant to keep the card info on the computer but to make his life easier he did. Someone in the US hacked the site and got my friends work card details. The first he knew about it was when the company was informed about it from a law enforcement agency in the US. So fraud has no boundaries.