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Author Topic: ID theft  (Read 1318 times)

JoFrance

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ID theft
« on: January 22, 2019, 03:00:33 pm »
I had this happen to me earlier this year.  One day, I got a new credit card in the mail.  It was an Amazon Prime credit card through a company I already had a credit card with.  It sent me a card that said I needed to call and activate it.  I didn't do it because I didn't apply for anything.

Initially I thought this might be a replacement card for my existing card.  I didn't understand what was going on, but I never activated the card.  A couple of days later, I got a letter from my credit card company that they canceled the card because the email address used was suspicious.  I just find it hard to believe they sent out a card to begin with.  They gave it a $7500 credit limit right out of the box!  That's just wrong.

I put a fraud alert on my credit bureaus, but how were these thieves thinking they could rip me off?  The card came to my house.  They didn't have my email address, but they had the middle initial of my name.  Were they just depending on me activating the card or maybe they were watching my mailbox.  I have a rural mailbox on the road where I live. 

Has anyone seen things like this?
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Richardk

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2019, 04:52:21 pm »
If they didn't have the card then I'm assuming they didn't have the number either. So I'm not sure how they could benefit from it even if you activated the account. Unless that was step one and the next step was to somehow steal your card / number?

What are we missing here? Without the card info, they don't have anything except they have a live card with their email address. Could they then "move" and finally request a replacement card for the one they "lost" in the move?
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G0ddard B0lt

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2019, 06:47:37 pm »
My tax ID was skimmed for 2015's tax return. I went to submit my taxes online using Turbo Tax and it refused to submit, saying that a return had already been filed on that tax ID number.  I went AWK and panicked. But for tax fraud, you have 0 personal liability as long as you contest it.

In my case I submitted the return around March 10th. I would have expected the direct deposit refund in 3 weeks or so after that, say around the start of April. Instead I had to file an IRS form for the specific purpose of claiming tax ID fraud. It took a few weeks to work its way through the IRS system. I managed to re-submit (I think I had to mail it in), and we received our refund in late May, so about 6-7 weeks delayed.

Since then, I've been on an IRS "program" wherein I receive a new unique tax filing PIN every year, that I must use at filing time.
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unix

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2019, 06:51:44 pm »
I once got hit via paypal. Emptied my bank account. Had dozens of small transaction in a nano-second. Amounted to a few grand.
Got it all back eventually.
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G0ddard B0lt

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2019, 07:13:48 pm »
Quote from: unix on January 22, 2019, 06:51:44 pm
I once got hit via paypal. Emptied my bank account. Had dozens of small transaction in a nano-second. Amounted to a few grand.
Got it all back eventually.

I don't keep any significant money in any bank account tied to Paypal.

I have one personal account that I've dedicated as a "pass through" account that is connected to Paypal. I move any payment someone makes to me through Paypal straight out of that account and into another account. I also do not have overdraft protection on that account.
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JoFrance

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2019, 05:48:32 pm »
I don't know what the scheme was, but its just bad if someone with a different email address than yours can open an account in your name and get a credit limit of $8k!  Geez.  If I validated the card, they could have used it.  Maybe it was a first step to try to take over my identity.

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unix

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2019, 06:42:34 pm »
Quote from: The Gorn on January 22, 2019, 07:13:48 pm
Quote from: unix on January 22, 2019, 06:51:44 pm
I once got hit via paypal. Emptied my bank account. Had dozens of small transaction in a nano-second. Amounted to a few grand.
Got it all back eventually.

I don't keep any significant money in any bank account tied to Paypal.

I have one personal account that I've dedicated as a "pass through" account that is connected to Paypal. I move any payment someone makes to me through Paypal straight out of that account and into another account. I also do not have overdraft protection on that account.

that is smart.

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Richardk

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2019, 09:37:58 pm »
Quote from: unix on January 23, 2019, 06:42:34 pm
that is smart.

I do the same thing. The last time I looked, PayPal is not a bank, so it doesn't have to follow any of the banking regulations or rules. As a private company, they can pretty much do whatever they want.

They usually respond in a reasonable manner but you don't really have any recourse with them if they disagree. So protect yourself by opening a paypal only bank account with a minimum balance.
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G0ddard B0lt

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2019, 10:09:46 pm »
I must be the smartest person on earth.

I tell people (other Paypal users, including freelancers who collect payment with Paypal) how I keep my risk down with Paypal.

They have no idea, they never thought about it, it's totally novel to them.

To me it's so obvious that it's just what you do. Paypal unreliable? Don't fucking connect it to an account with thousands of dollars in it, Sherlock!
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JoFrance

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2019, 04:01:09 pm »
That's smart, Gorn.  I don't have my bank account connected to Paypal either. I always thought that was too risky.  My bank is now offering an alternative called Zelle.  I haven't used it yet, but it looks like an alternative to Paypal.

I use Paypal now for getting payment for things I sell on ebay.

Quote from: Richardk on January 22, 2019, 04:52:21 pm
If they didn't have the card then I'm assuming they didn't have the number either. So I'm not sure how they could benefit from it even if you activated the account. Unless that was step one and the next step was to somehow steal your card / number?

What are we missing here? Without the card info, they don't have anything except they have a live card with their email address. Could they then "move" and finally request a replacement card for the one they "lost" in the move?

I can't figure this out either, unless they had the number in advance or planned to steal the card out of my mailbox.  I hate the fact that my mailbox is on the street and not on my house.  Anyone could ride by and take things out of it.
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unix

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Re: ID theft
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2019, 07:59:35 pm »
Quote from: The Gorn on January 23, 2019, 10:09:46 pm
I must be the smartest person on earth.

I tell people (other Paypal users, including freelancers who collect payment with Paypal) how I keep my risk down with Paypal.

They have no idea, they never thought about it, it's totally novel to them.

To me it's so obvious that it's just what you do. Paypal unreliable? Don't fucking connect it to an account with thousands of dollars in it, Sherlock!

You know one of the prerequisites for a smart paypal configuration is to actually *have* an account with thousands of dollars in it. Not $50.

You know status: 40% of the population cannot come up with $500 on demand. Or something like that.
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