Identity Theft...

The subject of the day: Identity theft...How did I, Joy, come up with this one you may be asking yourself...well, that would be an interesting story...I have had one of those months that I can't wait to be over with! You see I got this letter in the mail yesterday from some credit card company. So, I figured it was just an offer for a new card...and I opened it so that I could put it in the shredder...and it was a BILL!!! Well, it was addressed to me...from a company that I have never heard of...so, I call there and find out that this card has been opened in my name for two months already...and to top it off the bill was behind in payments...so, now I have to clear all that up. Well, the address is correct, as is the social security number, but not the phone numbers (home, work, or cell) or mothers' maiden name. So, it seems that you can get a credit card with a lot of falsified info these days. So, needless to say I am not paying the bill. And then the company actually asked me if I was willing to file a police report. Umm, Hello, Yeah. I, in turn, asked her if I should go to the police chiefs house then and do, or wait until today to do it...well, they told me that there fraud investigation team will work on it...but of they need anything can they ask the police to cooperate...I am pretty positive that the police here in town will cooperate...I know them that well...
So, now tonight I have been surfing all the information that I can find out about identity theft and what else I can do to clear this up...On the average a person does not find out for 14 months! Well, I hope that this person (whomever it may be) has not had this card for that long! I don't think so...but you never know...It seems that whomever it was should have had some common sense and had the bills delivered to another address and not to my home address...but you know some people are not exactly the brightest people...all the better for me...I now know early on...and have learned a lot from surfing the 'net tonight on how to protect myself from ever being the victim again...and I think that I will post some tips here for all of you readers...so, here are some that I have found:

File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). However, here is what is perhaps most important of all
Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves’ purchases.

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.)Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.)TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
4.)Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

When you call one of the three major credit bureaus they are required, by law, to notify the other two, and put a fraud alert on your credit report. There are also two types of Fraud alerts: 90 days and 7 years...so, as the consumer you will need to request the later of the two or you could become a victim again...and some companies will not even honor the advisory.

In my case though, I am not sure as to where the credit card was opened at, so filing a police report is kind of a sticky situation...since it is a whoile juridiction issue right now...but I did go talk to the police chief to put him on alert about it. (Well, ok in reality I sniveled and pouted my way through it...and told him that the sooner that I got out of here the better...)

What I also learned is that many states DO NOT PROSECUTE the thief. The companies feel that it is not worth their time or money to prosecute the criminal...well, I find that to be repulsive! But I am not even going to go their right now! I am still angry and tired to top it all off now...all this searching has made me even madder now...well, I hope that it helps the next person...and that you are not that person...but if you are...remember that there is help out there! I know...I have found it...
Take care...
Love ya...
One very tired girl,
~Joy~

Sidenote: The flag is still up for the month of June...and will remain up until my last post for the month of June...and guess what...it is getting so much easier to post it now! Since the month is almost over with right! LOL...
Well, Good Night...Work calls early...as do many more phone calls...oh yeah...