let's talk identity theft

[momz]

anyone been a victim of identity theft?

I was about a year ago. Someone created a card with my debit card number and purchased nearly 4K worth of merchandise. Luckily, my bank caught it and the charges never cleared my account.

Now, recently, my husbands wallet was stolen. I just signed up for ID theft insurance through Zander insurance. Anyone have any experience to share?

 

[erincon23]

About three years ago, someone cloned my hubby's debit card. Fortunately, he's pretty anal about checking the account online, and asked me if I had visited a restaurant about 70 miles away -- of course, I hadn't (it was a chain that I like to go to for lunch, but that far away?), and that was our first clue. At that time, he got paid once a month, and we always got really low at the end of the month, so the thieves didn't get to charge much since it was near the end! Our bank investigated and reversed all charges. I'd sure like to know what happened after that!

Many years ago, a boyfriend's card number was stolen. Mastercard called him and asked if he had ordered liquor by phone or bought Blackhawks season tix. Of course he hadn't done either. He really wanted to show up at the Blackhawks game and do some damage to the person sitting in those seats, but Mastercard (quite wisely!!!) wouldn't tell him which seats they were.

- Erin

 

[PixiePlanner]

Almost 7 years ago, the phone rang, DH answered and said, "It's for you." It was Walmart calling me asking if I had applied for their credit card and if I had lived in Indiana: I thought it was a telemarketer and was getting really angry w/ DH for giving me the phone. When I told her that I hadn't applied and that I had never lived in Indiana, I got the shock. She stated, "I think you're a victim of identity theft." YIKES! She was so nice and told me exactly what to do. I felt so bad for having a terrible tone in my voice! Someone had all of my info, SSN, DOB, everything. They had applied for a card with an Indiana address. When they didn't receive the card, they called Walmart to ask why. (The card had been returned due to something being wrong with the address.) The Walmart employee looked up the information and noticed the credit report had a different address. That's when she called me.

Thank goodness, that thief didn't go any further. We have no idea where or how she got my information. However, I had just refi'd my house and had a baby so I am sure my SSN was all over the place.