OT Scary Email

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I am used to getting all kinds of advertisements in my email. Heck I even had the FBI send me an email threatening prison if I didn't send it the proper documents for my large sum of money. But I just received 2 different emails for identity theft protection that had not only my name but my exact credit score in the subject line. How in the world can they get it? I looked at all the fine print and it is not from any company I have heard of.

 

[disneylove69]

I am used to getting all kinds of advertisements in my email. Heck I even had the FBI send me an email threatening prison if I didn't send it the proper documents for my large sum of money. But I just received 2 different emails for identity theft protection that had not only my name but my exact credit score in the subject line. How in the world can they get it? I looked at all the fine print and it is not from any company I have heard of.

The FBI would never send email requesting information or money. Also, never open mail you don't recognize. Also place these in your spam file and make sure you have good security on your computer. People can get all kinds of info on you with the WWW. There is a website by the FBI that lists all the scams out there.

 

[Tinkertude]

The FBI would never send email requesting information or money. Also, never open mail you don't recognize. Also place these in your spam file and make sure you have good security on your computer. People can get all kinds of info on you with the WWW. There is a website by the FBI that lists all the scams out there.

I would contact the authorities.

 

[bumbershoot]

"that had not only my name but my exact credit score in the subject line"

I'm assuming the OP didn't open them, as the info she's concerned about is in the subject line.

And I also assume the OP knows that the previous spam wasn't *actually* from the FBI, since she mentioned that one to give an example of "all kinds of advertisements in my email".

Now...how they know your credit score, I don't know. Have you ever gotten an email like it with a *wrong* score in it? If so, they are probably just guessing, using common scores in hopes it'll get you to open the email

 

[semo233]

Could the credit score companies be selling email addresses?

 

[seashoreCM]

I would not reply to it. Anybody can concoct a bogus letter with lots of threatening words in it. Threatening words to put in a letter can be found anywhere, for example in a dictionary.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Could the credit score companies be selling email addresses?

This is what I think. They are the ones that sell it to the credit card companies that littler your mail with offers.They must be broadening their horizons.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

Here is my rant about the credit reporting agencies. Feel free to skip onto the next post:

They collect the information and develop the scores. This is my (and your) private information. They then sell the information to just about anyone (and this is legal somehow?). They then charge you for access to your information. Then they start businesses protecting your information (that they have, sell and charge you for) and charge you for protecting it (presumably from themselves?).

I just don't understand how they get away with it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I would contact the authorities.

What authorities? It's just a spam email. Put it in your spam folder and delete it. Problem solved.

 

[3boymthr]

All they would have to do is set themselves up as a company, buy a marketing list from another company that includes your e-mail address, establish an account with a credit score company and then check your credit score. Other companies besides credit card companies do check your credit. DH's company reports and checks credit all the time and all they do is sell oil - they do not have SSNs - OTH they do have name address phone number. Is it ethical what the spammer is doing, no; is it legal, probably.

 

[cglaura]

If you are really concerned, and won't be opening anything new soon, you can put a freeze on your reports. Then they can't be accessed for solicitation purposes. I've had mine frozen for 3 years now. No junk mail, no phone calls.

Companies that you already have accounts with can still access, so it won't affect your current cards, loans or insurance companies.