Aaaarrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhh

[beagle744]

Hi
I'm new to this board (first post). Here is another reason to check or monitor your credit report regularly.

We put in offer to buy our first DVC contract at VWL (very excited!!). At the same time, we applied for an equity loan to pay for the pts. Everything was going well as the seller accepted our offer, sent our deposit and contract to the broker and prepared to wait out ROFR. Next we get a call from the bank where we're getting our loan asking how we're going to pay off our other equity balance. "What other equity loan??????!!!!!", I ask. "The one with XYZ bank with a balance of $14,800.", they say. "We've never done business with XYZ bank."

Anyway, long story short, we grab copies of each of our credit reports from the big 3 and discover that since my husband has a very common name his information and that of another man with the same name including middle initial living only 30 miles from us have been merged together with 2 of the three credit reporting agencies.

Getting the credit reports was a trick in and of itself. When you order them you must go through some security questions such as verifying loan activity and payments and SSN. My DH could not inititally do this as the other man's SSN became associated to my husband's account and we could not answer some othe other security questions because the info was unknown to us as it belonged to the other man. (Many phone calls to the two credit agencies to pry the info out of their hands after DH could prove he was who he said he was.)

In the meantime we cannot get our loan disbursed, until we demonstrate to the bank what the real situation is. We have spent hours on the phone with the bank and the two credit agencies involved trying to untangle the two credit histories. Currently I'm working with the bank to accept the credit report from the third agency as that one is correct.

I will also have to liquidate some investments in order to fulfill the DVC contract should it pass ROFR.

At any rate we will really be looking forward to our vacation at WDW-CBR July '05. YEA!!!!!!

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

Been there. I am sorry. Make sure you do a credit chack then call all your mysterious stuff yourself. The police are so bogged with this stuff you cannot rely on them to do the legwork. Put a fraud alert on you accounts and call the credit agencies too. This stinks I am sorry you have to go through this It is so mot fun. I am 2 years post id theft and it still something I deal with monthly. Also discovercard offers profile protect which alerts you whenever someone tries to open up account in your name. Even when it is legit you get an alert. It is 8.99 per month and invalueable!

 

[cruise-o-matic]

We received an odd call the other night. Actually, the first time it happened to me several months ago and DW answered the call this time.

The caller will claim the other spouse ordered a magazine on line, normally a popular one like Time or SI. Then they start asking for your checking account #. DW was suspicious and was giving the caller "what kind of fool do you think I am" attitude. I think the caller started cussing DW out before hanging up.

The frustrating part is that this type of call you can't *69. I'm thinking if it happens again, we'll stall while the other tries to contact AT&T on the cell phone to see if they can trace the call.

 

[manning]

We received an odd call the other night. Actually, the first time it happened to me several months ago and DW answered the call this time.

The caller will claim the other spouse ordered a magazine on line, normally a popular one like Time or SI. Then they start asking for your checking account #. DW was suspicious and was giving the caller "what kind of fool do you think I am" attitude. I think the caller started cussing DW out before hanging up.

The frustrating part is that this type of call you can't *69. I'm thinking if it happens again, we'll stall while the other tries to contact AT&T on the cell phone to see if they can trace the call.

Don't hold me to this. Check it out with the police and phone company. Some years ago I thought I read an article about being able to dial a certain number or code either during the phone call or just after you hang up. You then notify the police with the details. They then can issue a warrant and have the phone company give them the phone number.

 

[rocketriter]

The one thing I've never understood-Why do health insurance companies, Blue Cross Blue Shield for one, use the cardholders' soc. sec. # as the contract number? It may have been ok years ago, but with identity theft running rampant, i think they need to change this.

BCBS of Illinois just stopped that practice this year. Everyone has new numeric IDs. There's a lot of paperwork involved because all the doctors offices are getting mixed up, but the changeover is worth it.

 

[Muushka]

I'm glad this thread has been resurrected.

I got 2 of the 3 credit reports (took 7 days and am still waiting for the Experian).

The Equifax was a clean bill of a healthy credit history! Nice and long and NO surprises.

The Trans-Union was worthless. Only 3 current (and correct) credit areas. A worthless report.

I consider myself very fortunate. I have filed a fraud report with the one who informed me of the problem and they will try to track them down.

 

[JimC]

BC/BS in PA is also ending the use of SSANs for ID numbers.

On another privacy and accuracy point -- An association of insurance companies maintains health information and medical records that are reviewed when you are applying for health, life, disability or long term care insurance. You are entitled to one free report each year. Here is the link:


www.mib.com

 

[smjj]

When I used to pay by check(now use debit card) and they insisted on a SSN, I would make one up. I knew they were just wanting it for their records and not actually checking on it and if they were well so be it. I protect it at all cost...smjj

 

[JimC]

Just an update for those interested. An email I got from Consumers' Union.


As you may have read in my column this month, with just your name and Social Security number a crook can steal your identity, open new charge accounts, and wreak havoc on your credit record.

While you may be careful to safeguard your Social Security number, this information is easily available to identity thieves looking for their next victim. It's no wonder the Federal Trade Commission estimates that nearly 10 million Americans became identity theft victims last year.

Tell Congress to clamp down on the widespread use of Social Security numbers that leaves all of us so vulnerable to being ripped off by identity thieves.

(https://secure2.convio.net/cu/site/...=3384579&JServSessionIdr003=vbmv8e0qh2.app14b)

Social Security numbers were never meant to become a de facto national identifier, but that's exactly what has happened. Your nine-digit Social Security number could be on file in the databases of your bank, insurance company, local department store, doctor's office, various government agencies, schools you attended, and countless other businesses.

Lately, there's been plenty of news about how the personal data held in these databases is falling into the hands of crooks. And if that's not bad enough, your Social Security number - and the key to your identity - can be bought for as little as $35 on internet web sites that sell personal data culled from public records. Social Security numbers appear on Medicare cards and are sometimes used on driver's licenses, student IDs, and health insurance cards.

Enough is enough. Urge Congress to pass comprehensive identity theft safeguards for consumers that include new rules to limit the use of Social Security numbers by companies and government agencies that puts your identity at risk.

Sincerely,

Jim Guest
President
Consumers Union of the U.S.
101 Truman Ave.
Yonkers, NY 10703

You may also contact us with your comments at idtheft@cu.consumer.org.

 

[manning]

Now THAT would have been a tragedy!

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