What a nightmare. How does getting you identity stolen happen? Do you have any advice that would save a person from this $hit?
All depends on how far they want to go with it. The neighbors and I had our mail stolen. Out of my box, they picked up a credit card statement and another fresh card I had not used.
The very next day, they had already printed a card from the numbers on the statement and went shopping at the Bon Marche and various other places like MacDonalds where they are lax about checking ID. It took about two days to get kicked out of the system from my customary purchases. The other card was used as well.
A year or two back, one of the networks teamed up with a bank card company and arranged to let the numbers be stolen and used on the internet. The show was tracking purchases on the card in as many as 19 separate countries simultaneously. They track a couple of people from Nigeria who had set up shippers in the US. Some guy was hooked on the internet chick, who he never met, he was accepting packages and then send them to her in Nigeria and he was paying the shipping. I cant remember how many thousands he spent on shipping.
For all you know, a bunch of illegal aliens are using your social security number for employment. I suspect a few dead people have a lot of part time employees. One employer sent a letter to all the former employees and said that a recent employee had breached their system and took everyones SS and private info. They notified all the credit agencies, but the Fraud alerts only last about six months and then have to be reinstated.
Then ONLINE theft is pretty common too. Keyloggers and Phishing is common. My brother just sent an email from his bank, in regards to an email sent to him and it was a fake. They said his account would be frozen if he did not contact them in a specific time period and they give a link for you to log on and give the bank your account info. They wont send you email like that. Email and suspicious websites are the most common sources of spyware, but not all programs catch all forms of spyware. Free stuff doesnt get updated or reasearch like the good stuff and the last GEEK, I talked to only had 3 names of top brands. If you use WIFI you have no protection without a verion, att etc broadband card.
Only the more recent broadband cards have a scrambler in them. Thieves are watching the information pass back and forth and they can pull bits of info off the web and check it out.
Two pieces of information are contained in Secured websites. http"S" and or a picture of a padlock near the refresh arrows, on the address line.
Another bank of mine told me to never pay a bill out of convenience with a credit card over the phone. Some stores, like NORDSTROM will let someone to come in and give them an account number and shop without having a card. Granted, the bank told me that about two years ago, but other stores could be doing the same thing. Whenever you buy something on credit, if they do not ask you for ID , you can figure they are skipping it for a lot of people. Stolen credit cards will make their way to those stores.
Thieves go thru the business trash and find the old credit card receipts, which is why the state allows you to cross out all the numbers on the credit slip, except the last four. Most retailers now have one copy that is XXXXXX but often the other slip has your number listed on the receipt. The purchase is electronic, but the slips are kept around for accounting and verification.
They get tossed and info gets stolen. They get into your car and take your registration and find out where you live, or find charge slips, paycheck stubs, etc.
Then guys come on here, use their real names and tell people they are leaving for AK or Hawaii for two weeks. Its really just a matter of time, before someone gets ripped off. You might as well put a sign up in the front yard, you are not home. They obviously can track the website you visit just by breaking in and looking at your history. There is a reason they tell you not to use your birthday and easy stuff for passwords.
They can get past your password easily on your laptop, unless you put a password on your hard drive. But if you forget the password, you are screwed. Straight from the GEEK Squad.
I just checked into Lojack for computers. Its 5995 at Best Buy. Its software you install and when you report the computer stolen it will send a signal when it logs on to the web again. If they find your disc, they can uninstall it, and then log on. Unfortunately, they only allow one unit per disk. You can call and order more, but I dont know the details. I think someone here reported a situation where thieves had the electronics and just reopened your car door, cause they caught your remote signal when you locked the door. They get in and hunt for info and then just watch your house for you to leave.
Thats what insurance is for, as they say. But, Ive been burglarized before and the personal invasion is very powerful.
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