Identity Theft
Yesterday I received my phone bill and on my phone bill were a slew of unauthorized chareges that had nothing to do with the telephone from a company called Integretel. After MANY hours on the phone I never was really able to find out what the charges were for (the phone company could not tell me) and will not know until next month whether I was successful in getting the charges removed from my bill. The representative of the compaly that added the charges did not speak english well and had an accent I could not understand. Every time I asked to speak to someone who did speak english I was put on lengthy hold and someone with a worse accent got on. What I did find out however was that with nothing more than your phone number and email address unscurpulous companies can add charges to your phone number for things you don't even know you are buying (usually internet companies for things like web space). Since many of these companies are outside the United States they can create real financial havoc for you. There are two VERY IMPORTANT things you can do to protect yourself: 1) Have a BLOCK put on your phone bill so that NO CHARGES other than phone company charges can be added to your phone bill. I had no idea that things other than your phone can be billed to your phone but apparently there are a variety of things that can be. 2) When you have personal checks printed have the bare minimum of personal information printed on them. I am one of those very lazy people that in the past have had my entire life history printed on my check (phone number, drivers lisence number, address, date of birth etc etc) The less information you have on your check the more difficult it is for someone to steal your identity. What a worl we line in!!!! |
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| OMG! That's awful! Hope you are successful in removing this!
Thanks for the tips, I'm going to check with our phone company and make sure we have the protection! Colleen and Gucci George |
| I was gone one day about a year ago and upon checking the caller ID I noticed that my bank had called several times. So I returned the call.
Found out that they had some checks they didn't recongize as mine, had put a stop payment on them and wanted me to come in, cancel that account and open a new one. Someone had taken my bank account number, someone else's name and address in Ohio, and had made purchases over the net with those checks. Had about $500 - $600 racked up when it got to my bank. I didn't have to pay this but................................ What kind of world is this? I personally believe in the Word of God, therefore, I think this is the world He speaks of during the time when what is right will be considered wrong, and what is wrong will be considered right. The one where families turn on one another. The one where some have no respect for others. The one that doesn't value life, so why should they be expected to value anything else.  |
| YIKES! What a scarey thing to have happen. Sure hope that everything works out for the best! ~Katie. |
| It is also a good idea to take any bills directly to the post office or a postal box.
My family and consumer resource teacher in high school told us a story that happened in her community about a woman who would go around subdivisions and go through mailboxes before the mail has been picked up, and anything with bills that would have personal information, she would take and use the information. |
| YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have just recently started paying my bills through online banking with my credit union, it is guaranteeed secure. And at least if someone does hack in the credit union protects my account. Another "protection" is using my debit card instead of personal checks. My credit union offers fraud protection so I am not held liable should someone get ahold of my card or number. Another thing I have stopped doing is giving my phone number out at the cashe register. You know how sometimes when you check out, even when paying cash they ask for your phone number? Refuse to give it!!!! |
| Yes, the best thing to do is say that your number is unlisited. Also if you can afford to, Dont put your phone number in the phone book.
Remember never to give your soc. # out to anyone...I just saw something on tv where an older woman got ripped off, because someone created a new identity using her social securtiy #.....its a harsh world out there now...... |
| Thats horrid, glad you got it sorted, It happens in Scotland too, people go through your rubbish bin looking for old bank statements ect, then they have all the info they need, I always put stuff like that through the shredder nowadays. Some people just dont care who they hurt or how much damage they do.
Heather. |
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