OT: PSA: Fraud Alert

[storrsroars]

Posting this here as I just had an unusual experience for first time. I have a subscription with TransUnion for checking my credit, also with CreditWise through one of my credit cards. I get an email from CreditWise about a new account opening from a bank with which I've never had an account. It was reported by Experian, so TransUnion didn't alert me.

I contacted the credit card company and had the thing cancelled. No card had been sent yet as the account opened just today. The card application used an email address I hadn't used since 1996 from a company I thought was defunct. I am hoping to get a copy of the application to see what other info is on there, like employer, and what they used for security questions.

I also get dark web reports. The email address used for this application doesn't appear in any of them, which is concerning. I have no idea how to cancel the thing. Guess I'll be researching that tomorrow.

Not exactly sure if they planned on raiding my mailbox to get the actual cards, or whether they'd simply use the number online make a few purchases, then move on.

Anyway, if you don't have a credit monitoring service like CreditWise, or subscriptions to all three bureaus, you should. Just saved me $5K.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I have a credit monitoring subscription because this happened to me a few years ago. North of six figures in credit card charges that they walked away from.

 

[Fishy]

There’s a scam, mostly in New York state, where someone takes out a car insurance policy on line in your name.

Apparently, the act of taking out the policy results in the insurance company providing the scammer with your driver’s license number which they then use to file for unemployment benefits.

Out of the blue over the summer, I received a welcome package from Progressive - I called them, was sent to the fraud department and they handled it immediately. The state also flagged the benefit claim, so there was no harm done, but still, kinda annoying.

 

[Improviser]

Posting this here as I just had an unusual experience for first time. I have a subscription with TransUnion for checking my credit, also with CreditWise through one of my credit cards. I get an email from CreditWise about a new account opening from a bank with which I've never had an account. It was reported by Experian, so TransUnion didn't alert me.

I contacted the credit card company and had the thing cancelled. No card had been sent yet as the account opened just today. The card application used an email address I hadn't used since 1996 from a company I thought was defunct. I am hoping to get a copy of the application to see what other info is on there, like employer, and what they used for security questions.

I also get dark web reports. The email address used for this application doesn't appear in any of them, which is concerning. I have no idea how to cancel the thing. Guess I'll be researching that tomorrow.

Not exactly sure if they planned on raiding my mailbox to get the actual cards, or whether they'd simply use the number online make a few purchases, then move on.

Anyway, if you don't have a credit monitoring service like CreditWise, or subscriptions to all three bureaus, you should. Just saved me $5K.

Agreed. I have 2 or 3 services that send me alerts.

When I first saw the caption, I thought the prostate tests were a fraud. If so, what would the other monitoring be other than an invasive procedure.

 

[temery]

Posting this here as I just had an unusual experience for first time. I have a subscription with TransUnion for checking my credit, also with CreditWise through one of my credit cards. I get an email from CreditWise about a new account opening from a bank with which I've never had an account. It was reported by Experian, so TransUnion didn't alert me.

I contacted the credit card company and had the thing cancelled. No card had been sent yet as the account opened just today. The card application used an email address I hadn't used since 1996 from a company I thought was defunct. I am hoping to get a copy of the application to see what other info is on there, like employer, and what they used for security questions.

I also get dark web reports. The email address used for this application doesn't appear in any of them, which is concerning. I have no idea how to cancel the thing. Guess I'll be researching that tomorrow.

Not exactly sure if they planned on raiding my mailbox to get the actual cards, or whether they'd simply use the number online make a few purchases, then move on.

Anyway, if you don't have a credit monitoring service like CreditWise, or subscriptions to all three bureaus, you should. Just saved me $5K.

Dark web reports?

 

[storrsroars]

Dark web reports?

A list of how often your email or other personal data has been identified as being for sale, who was breached enabling that, etc.

 

[temery]

This is kind of funny

 

[Dogdeacon]

Just freeze your credit, its a little annoying to unfreeze if you want some new credit (loan or credit card) but keeps some of the bad stuff from happening. I had someone file a fake tax return about 10yrs back, pretty certain they bought info from a bank as we'd applied to 3 places for home equity lines a year or so before that happened. Happily caught it before they got anything.

 

[temery]

Just freeze your credit, its a little annoying to unfreeze if you want some new credit (loan or credit card) but keeps some of the bad stuff from happening. I had someone file a fake tax return about 10yrs back, pretty certain they bought info from a bank as we'd applied to 3 places for home equity lines a year or so before that happened. Happily caught it before they got anything.

I just signed up with experian for $19.95/month. There's got to be a cheaper option. Even with experian, I can only lock with them, not with the other two. And they need me to enter account numbers for all checking, savings, and credit accounts in order to track activity.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I just signed up with experian for $19.95/month. There's got to be a cheaper option. Even with experian, I can only lock with them, not with the other two. And they need me to enter account numbers for all checking, savings, and credit accounts in order to track activity.

You don't have to pay them to freeze it. Any of them. How to Freeze Your Credit For Free - Experian

I got idnotify from TurboTax MAX at no charge. Doesn't do much except provide breach notifications.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I just signed up with experian for $19.95/month. There's got to be a cheaper option. Even with experian, I can only lock with them, not with the other two. And they need me to enter account numbers for all checking, savings, and credit accounts in order to track activity.

If your credit is locked you don't need the reports, they are a total waste IMO. Cancel that and lock your credit.

 

[HooperScooper]

You don't have to pay them to freeze it. Any of them. How to Freeze Your Credit For Free - Experian

I got idnotify from TurboTax MAX at no charge. Doesn't do much except provide breach notifications.

You just have to pay a nominal fee, I think $5, to unlock it each time you apply for a credit card, get a loan, etc. It is kind of a pain to do each time but it does seem to be an easy way to protect yourself.

 

[Kitaman]

On a semi related note, but one that I'm sure could affect many of us:

Microsoft hacked leaving billions of passwords at risk​

Being online for any activity requires diligence, unlike the days of past. Nothing or nowhere is safe.

 

[Edward Sargent]

There’s a scam, mostly in New York state, where someone takes out a car insurance policy on line in your name.

Apparently, the act of taking out the policy results in the insurance company providing the scammer with your driver’s license number which they then use to file for unemployment benefits.

Out of the blue over the summer, I received a welcome package from Progressive - I called them, was sent to the fraud department and they handled it immediately. The state also flagged the benefit claim, so there was no harm done, but still, kinda annoying.

Did you speak to Flo?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Posting this here as I just had an unusual experience for first time. I have a subscription with TransUnion for checking my credit, also with CreditWise through one of my credit cards. I get an email from CreditWise about a new account opening from a bank with which I've never had an account. It was reported by Experian, so TransUnion didn't alert me.

I contacted the credit card company and had the thing cancelled. No card had been sent yet as the account opened just today. The card application used an email address I hadn't used since 1996 from a company I thought was defunct. I am hoping to get a copy of the application to see what other info is on there, like employer, and what they used for security questions.

I also get dark web reports. The email address used for this application doesn't appear in any of them, which is concerning. I have no idea how to cancel the thing. Guess I'll be researching that tomorrow.

Not exactly sure if they planned on raiding my mailbox to get the actual cards, or whether they'd simply use the number online make a few purchases, then move on.

Anyway, if you don't have a credit monitoring service like CreditWise, or subscriptions to all three bureaus, you should. Just saved me $5K.

Show them the picture in your avatar, if they think it’s you they’ll leave alone.

 

[NJHusky]

There’s a scam, mostly in New York state, where someone takes out a car insurance policy on line in your name.

Apparently, the act of taking out the policy results in the insurance company providing the scammer with your driver’s license number which they then use to file for unemployment benefits.

Out of the blue over the summer, I received a welcome package from Progressive - I called them, was sent to the fraud department and they handled it immediately. The state also flagged the benefit claim, so there was no harm done, but still, kinda annoying.

That's crazy....how do you not have to INPUT your DL #?

 

[Fishy]

That's crazy....how do you not have to INPUT your DL #?

You would think that would be a prerequisite, but nope. The real horror there is that the state hands them your DL # when they open the policy. They do not have to enter a DL or put down a dime - the policy will cancel for non-payment in 30 days.

That’s the loophole they exploited.

 

[UCTitleTown]

I got a year of Experian credit monitoring for free when company I use got hacked. Now I'm constantly getting credit card offers from Experian. I didn't realize that was what I was signing up for.

 

[jibsey]

Just freeze your credit, its a little annoying to unfreeze if you want some new credit (loan or credit card) but keeps some of the bad stuff from happening. I had someone file a fake tax return about 10yrs back, pretty certain they bought info from a bank as we'd applied to 3 places for home equity lines a year or so before that happened. Happily caught it before they got anything.

Correct, I did this because of the number of times being hacked.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So my employer emailed me tonight that a fraudulent unemployment insurance claim was made in my name. They informed the state that I was employed and it was a fraudulent claim if filed against them. They listed things to do next along with another list from the govt at identity theft.gov

1. report the fraud to the state using online form - done
2. file credit fraud alert (freezes for a year - all three) - done
3. Check credit reports - done
4. File police report - tomorrow I suppose.
5. Check, change passwords - mine are pretty solid but I’ll change some.
6. Report to DOJ NCDF - tomorrow

I had heard about this and the email from work confirmed that this is nationwide and millions of fraudulent claims have been filed in the last year.

This is one of those times where working for a very large company is helpful. I can only imagine that small businesses would have a harder time managing this and responding so quickly.