Victim of Credit Card Fraud!

[Mike]

All this talk of being naked and touching wood. I'm just off for a cold shower.

[dishpan]

Does that mean that your "Reach" has turned into a "Fever". That sounds like a Big Bonus to me. I hope that your reward hopper isn't empty.

Now I know what that web site meant by "straw raincoat".

[Firewire]

Last year I was a victim of "identiy theft" and someone tried opening many lines of credit under my name. They were sucessful and Target Stores are the ones who called me because they were suspicious about someone buying $2000 worth of merchandise.

In the end the US Secret Service called me for some info. They didn't let me know much, but the Target Loss Prevention guy said it was several US Postal service employees running a ring.

I was glad to hear it wasn't my buying habits online that got me. It was something completely out of my control.

Worst part is you feel violated, but no law enforcement body seems to care. Police gave me a report # so that I could in turn give it to all the credit card and cell phone companies. Then you sign affidavits saying you didn't do it. Police could care less, credit card companies just want the affidavit, and the Credit Bureau requires you to contact the companies although they do put an alert on your credit file. In the end, it all got fixed except one loop hole. Each time a credit report is pulled to approve you for credit you get a small hit on your score. Not a big deal unless you have 20+ hits then it actually makes a difference. Lucikly my score is high enough it wasn't a huge issue, but it did make a difference and at a time when I was refinancing my mortgage! I have to say Target was the best about everything and very sympathetic.

As stated before, never reply to emails. Go to the site directly by you typing it in and then see what's up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phising

[tensai]

Thankfully I don't have to worry about Identity Theft any more.

http://wserver0.prepaidlegal.com/Mul...avidmcdonald15

[Firewire]

Tensai, Pre-Paid legal may help you write the letters, but it isn't going to stop the theft.

Plus it takes days or weeks before you even know you are a vicitim and alot can happen, trust me! Plus my experience was that all the credit card companies will only speak with the vicitim.

And as stated before most everything can be fixed and the Government has setup a website to walk you through each step (for free): http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/