Identity Theft Protection

[Teacher Terry]

We don’t have it.

[SteveinMN]

Yppej, thanks for the tip on AAA offering credit monitoring (for free for our level of AAA membership). With that in pocket I can participate in the EquiLax class action suit and request $$ compensation rather than their credit monitoring. Kind of almost pays me back for their bad acting.

[bicyclist]

Well, this is a highly pertinent concern. I have been hacked by a group of people pre tending to fix computer viruses but, my bank security refused to pay to Barclay's bank for their "services." Fortunately, I didn't quite give them my correct credit card number or else it might have been "payday" for them. So it happens that even sophisticated people get hacked. I really did think that my computer had a virus and these people were going to help me! Now, I don't answer unfamiliar phone numbers and emails. Anyone who wants to charge me for service has to provide verifiable business locations, references from at least 3 customers, better business bureau and even a tax identification number and anything lese I can dream up! Research is my best insurance.

[razz]

I don't answer my phone. People know to leave a message. If I am home and recognize the voice, I answer the phone. No message, no contact. Love voice mail and number display.

Since I have gone to digital phone which deletes my number from the phone book, it is only limited robocalls that are using both local and strange numbers to call. There is no message. from those calls.

I will follow-up genuine calls on my time with appropriate caution. That is just a small part but an important one of protection of identity.

I am surprised at how often the local media report a scam that trapped a local resident.

[Float On]

Oh joy. My identity was stolen - SS#, name, address. They've been opening store cards in FL and charging $400 at a time. I've filed my police report, filed with the holding banks for those store CC's, and reported to all 3 credit bureaus and frozen my credit. Anything else I should do?

[LDAHL]

If you have AAA you can get identity theft monitoring at no additional cost through them.

Thanks. I didn’t know that. That’s what happens if you don’t read the mailers.

[SteveinMN]

Oh joy. My identity was stolen - SS#, name, address.

Ugh. Sounds to me like you're on the right track. I don't know if there's anything you can do about SS -- except maybe make sure you file your taxes earlier in the year because the IRS system for checking SSN validity doesn't seem to work too well.

[rosarugosa]

We got our federal tax refund stolen a few years ago (someone else filed under my ss # just before I did, and I do always file pretty early, as soon as I get all my documents). After we got it all untangled (we did finally get our check), the IRS has since given us a pin number every year to be included on our return. I wonder if you can proactively request something like this from the IRS? I also altered our withholding so that there was no refund to steal for a few years, although we did get a modest refund last year.

[Teacher Terry]

I make sure that we owe the IRS a small amount of money so no one can steal the refund.

[jp1]

I make sure that we owe the IRS a small amount of money so no one can steal the refund.

That actually won't help because the IRS doesn't check the accuracy of the return before sending out the refund.