Okay, in a recent thread, I mentioned someone had used my hubby’s credit card info.
They have since tried (and failed, thankfully) to use the other cards issued in his name. But, nothing in our joint name–a credit card, the bank accounts, etc–have been touched. (Yet…and we’re in the process of switching all account numbers.)
It seems a logical progression that this is linked to mail theft from October of this past year. BUT…what was stolen were the bill payments for ONE of the compromised credit cards and then utilities: water, cable, and phone. None of those utility bills have any credit card info on hand, and all of them are in MY name, not hubby’s.
It’s quite obvious whoever this is has access to ALL of hubby’s credit card numbers. And they’re no beginner; apparently, they’re manufacturing cards of their own in hubby’s own name! (The third compromised card’s fraud department had reached that conclusion.) They’re just failing because some of the non-number info is incorrect.
I’m just wondering how the HELL they got all this for ALL the cards! How could they possibly have done this when NONE of the bills sent to us are missing, no other payments have been missed, we throw NO receipts away, none of these cards are used on the Net, etc. How on Earth did they get all this dirt on hubby–and not me, esp. since my name was on more of that stolen mail than his???
Please, if anyone has ideas on HTF they did this, please email me at the address linked here.
Tonight we went to the bank to change our checking account and ATM card numbers…and found out that just yesterday Mr. Thief Bastard had used a copy–he actually made his own card–to withdraw cash in PERSON at a local bank. It was such a small transaction–probably just testing the account, the teller said–that it went unnoticed. We can’t even protest the transactions yet because they are processed completely yet; they post tonight. But tomorrow it’ll all be taken care of–we’ll get that money back–and the accounts are all closed. So take THAT!
Mr. Rat Bastard is out of numbers, at least now. GRRR! :mad:
Okay…big question. We’re wondering if somehow they have hubby’s SSN. If they do…would they be able to access the new account #s?
(We’re unsure if they have that–some of the CC account info they’re attempting is wrong, and when they called Nextel and tried to order, the SSN they gave wasn’t hubby’s. But–well, nothing would surprise us now.)
At this point, it’s only a big hassle. There’s been no loss to us, and thankfully no damage to our credit. We’re going to order credit reports every month to monitor the situation. Does anyone know how long a fraud alert stays on your credit report? Months, years?
There’s info. on the Net under “identity theft” and “fraud alert.” Some info. explains how getting a fraud alert could make it difficult for you to use your own credit. See http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,56623,00.html
I have to disagree with gus28. The criminals already know how to do this. By knowing how they get this information in the first place, we can better protect ourselves.
I don’t think it’s related to your mail theft. In the news recently, a guy was busted accesing credit information and selling it. He worked for a credit reporting agency, and hence had all the accounts of those he stold. Maybe your hubby got hit, but joint and your info was not.