But, just to be on the safe side, they recommended that I sign up for a free year of service with a company that guards against identity theft.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

psychodelicide said:

Sounds like the terrible pop up ads that will say anything to get you to sign up for their service. What is the companies name?

No, but I have just been accused of stealing Marilyn Monroe's tonight.

No, but I have just been accused of stealing Marilyn Monroe's tonight.

Seriously though that's scary.

MissMe said:

Do you wear sweeter underwear than Marilyn Monroe?

Shawnt24 said:

Debix. I got an actual letter in the mail from the State of Ohio, as opposed to a pop-up ad on my computer. So I tend to think that this is legit, especially if they're offering me a year of free fraud protection.

Apparently someone did use my social security number to open up some bank accounts a few years back. Strangely, though, they didn't actually purchase anything or borrow. I had the banks close all the bogus acocunts and I reported it to the credit bureaus. I check my credit reports regularly, though I should probably be even more studious with that. One time also (long before we moved up here), someone had acquired my wife's credit card number and was using it to buy gas in Toronto while we were, in fact, in Arizona -- and thank God we were able to document it! The bank deactivated the card, which the thieves were somehow able to override to make one more big-ticket gas purchase. We contacted the bank again to cancel the card and we haven't had a problem since. We weren't held responsible for the charges. Scary stuff, though, and these thieves are getting pretty darned sophisticated.

But before you go signing up with a strange company, Nancy, do some research on them. And make sure you report this to the credit bureaus. Could be that someone is just trying to get a few dollars out of you.
[Edited 7/20/07 18:58pm]

psychodelicide said:

That puts me a bit at ease. I still say research, though.

I recently got a letter in the mail, telling me that my name and social security number, which were contained on a computer back-up device, was stolen. The letter also said that it would be highly unlikely that someone would be able to access the data that was contained in the device without specialized knowledge and equipment. But, just to be on the safe side, they recommended that I sign up for a free year of service with a company that guards against identity theft. Any time someone tries to open an account or borrow money using my name, the identity theft company will call me to verify that it is legit. I just have to press the star key to decline it. I'm trying to remain calm here and not to panic, but I can't help but wonder if someone is already trying to use my name and social security number to get a loan in my name. I'm going to be accessing credit reports online and studying them very closely from now on. Anything that I happen to find that is not legit will be reported.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

psychodelicide said:

Nope, but the letter sounds like a scam to me..... If you fall for that, the next letter you get from them would be u won a million dollars!!!!! However you got to send $5000 to collect it.....
[Edited 7/20/07 19:12pm]

psychodelicide said:

Nope, but the letter sounds like a scam to me..... If you fall for that, the next letter you get from them would be u won a million dollars!!!!! However you got to send $5000 to collect it.....
[Edited 7/20/07 19:12pm]

SummerRain said:

SummerRain, always good to see you shoot your mess over the Org.

Yes I had my identity stolen seven years ago. There is still drama behind it.

That's scary!
I wish you the best of luck solving this problem.

anybody who steals my identity will be pissed. my credit is fucked up
they won't be able to buy a vowel without a high interest rate on that motherfucka

Fury said:

I love your signature, it's hilarious!