[Novalug] [Ma-linux] Totally OT: Identify Theft

Rich Goodwin rich.goodwin@cox.net
Sun Jul 13 07:55:18 EDT 2008


wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/) might be a reasonable place  to
us for something like this.

Rich

On Sat, 2008-07-12 at 23:47 -0400, Jay Hart wrote:
> If novalug or ma-linux is a wiki, then yes, otherwise no.
> 
> Jay
> 
> > Are you putting all of this on a Wiki somewhere?
> >
> > jf
> >
> > On Jul 12, 2008, at 8:49 PM, Jay Hart wrote:
> >
> >> To the list, I have updates:
> >>
> >> 1. First of all, it is amazing what companies/employees will do (or
> >> not do) to
> >> get a sale.
> >>
> >> 1a. I'm not telling everything here, some items I will not state
> >> here because
> >> at this point its speculation, or stuff I will need a lawyer for.
> >> But, figure
> >> what I really mean on item #1 and you can read between the lines...
> >>
> >> 2. I had to file not one, but two police reports, the thefts
> >> occurred at three
> >> different Best Buys, all in Maryland, all within 2-3 hours total
> >> elapsed time.
> >> The thieves were kind enough to apply for card/account protection
> >> for me, how
> >> special.
> >>
> >> 3. Each store got hit for about $5,000. This must be a limiting non-
> >> trigger
> >> point for fraud.  Can anyone comment on this?
> >>
> >> 3a. The account has been placed in a fraud condition state, meaning
> >> closed.
> >> The credit card bank did this when I called them the first time.  I
> >> should
> >> have asked for the credit application, but I thought the store would
> >> have that
> >> document.
> >>
> >> 4. I now "own" three very high-end laptops ($2,800 each), two very
> >> high-end
> >> cameras ($1,800 each) with monster lenses ($1,100), some WII
> >> hardware ($250),
> >> a 32 inch LCD TV ($580), and a few other things I don't recognize
> >> right out
> >> the bat.   They put all this on a 2 year payback plan.  Stupid
> >> Fscking Best
> >> Buy, if you ask me.
> >>
> >> 5. There is video, and it ain't me.
> >>
> >> 6. The cops were very helpful, I at least think that video will be
> >> retrieved
> >> from all three stores, and once that is done, I'm hoping to get a
> >> copy.  If I
> >> can't, that is where a PI might can help me out. The PI was not able
> >> to help
> >> me today, but depending on the follow-up detectives, I might ask for
> >> his help
> >> if it looks
> >>
> >> 6a. My goal is NOT to get the guy, but to get the guy to tell me how
> >> he got my
> >> SSN.  This is the single most important thing to concentrate on.  If
> >> the guy
> >> gets busted up a little prior to coughing up the info, he has a WII
> >> that he
> >> can use while recovering...
> >>
> >> 7. Things you should know: a) stores generally won't give you any
> >> documentation or video. File a police report ASAP, they can supeona
> >> the store,
> >> and the store will be very happy to turn over anything they have.
> >> (at least
> >> Best Buys seems to be willing in this case) b) Managers won't tell you
> >> anything usually when you walk in off the street. c) Take enough
> >> documentation
> >> so that the cops/store has not doubt who you are d) I dressed in a
> >> nice pair
> >> of slacks and dress shirt, was very calm, did not rant, did not
> >> threaten,
> >> basically tried very hard to get the store on my side e) tell store
> >> they are
> >> in the same boat as you f) get the name and a number if you can of
> >> anyone you
> >> talk to, record any phone cons you have, doing this on paper is fine.
> >>
> >> 8. It seems like it would be hard for an inside job to occur over
> >> three
> >> stores, so not sure if this is a plausible scenario. However, others
> >> have told
> >> me inside help is very good percentage of fraud.
> >>
> >> 9. Try to get a copy of the actual credit application. Many stores
> >> do not keep
> >> your app, they are sent to their credit bank after 1-2 days, so this
> >> you will
> >> need to try and get either through the bank, or through the
> >> companies fraud
> >> investigation unit.  In my case I know that at least two of the nine
> >> SSN
> >> digits were correct (I did not want to give the bank rep I spoke to
> >> any more
> >> than two, but stasitically its very hard to not say they had the
> >> rest correct
> >> as well. I didn't supply them with the first two or last two digits,
> >> but with
> >> two random digits of the nine.
> >>
> >> 10. Call all your banks/401K/mutual funds and put a fraud alert on
> >> all of
> >> them. (CYA)
> >>
> >> 11. Not that it matters, but one store has a black male late 20s/
> >> early 30s on
> >> tape.  Would like to see the other two tapes, good bet not same guy.
> >> This
> >> proves it was a fraudulent activity, I'm totally in the clear just
> >> due to this
> >> fact alone.
> >>
> >> 12. According to Best Buys, when you apply for an account, and prior
> >> to
> >> charging on that account, you must show two forms of ID, one has to
> >> be a
> >> picture ID, the second they usually ask for a credit card with the
> >> same name
> >> on the picture ID. They do not make a photo copy of any IDs. (read
> >> inside job
> >> action time here..)  I bet most if not all companies have a similar
> >> policy.
> >> They want to make it easy for you to buy stuff, remember...
> >>
> >> 13. Based on the time line scenario for the charges, my guess is
> >> that Best
> >> Buys fraud preventive software does not track or notify if large
> >> purchases are
> >> made in several stores within a short period of time. Hence I figure
> >> if it
> >> did, the last store, which actually had two charges, might have been
> >> flagged.
> >>
> >> 14. The three large credit reporting agencies will share updates to
> >> your
> >> profile if you put a block on it, they say there is no need to call
> >> all three,
> >> and that the block is sent out quickly (I can't tell you what
> >> quickly means
> >> with regard to a time frame this happens).
> >>
> >> 15. I'm going to see about getting a new SSN, will let you know what
> >> I learn.
> >>
> >> 16. If you have a clearance, remember you are doing this to protect
> >> your
> >> livelihood, bad credit can get your clearance revoked. IOW, you are
> >> not doing
> >> this to "KILL the Mo-fscker".
> >>
> >> 17. the police are seeing this type of crime more, they really seem
> >> to want to
> >> help you.  Don't expect much when you contact the police and file
> >> the report.
> >> They may have good relations with the store, or not.  Different
> >> stores seem to
> >> have different policies. While one store might show the cops video
> >> without a
> >> warrant, another might ask for one. But, they all seem to want to
> >> get the info
> >> to the police, have patience.
> >>
> >> 18. Don't go into the store on your own and talk to any of
> >> employees, if it
> >> was an inside job, you just tipped them off.  REMEMBER THIS.  If you
> >> do talk
> >> to someone at the store, STORE MANAGER ONLY!!!
> >>
> >> 19. If the store suspects an inside job, they may be more willing to
> >> pursue
> >> the matter, but might not be willing to share everything they find
> >> out (think
> >> lawsuit here...).
> >>
> >> 20. I wonder it its possible for me to determine if someone bought my
> >> information recently through an online service like Intelius???
> >>
> >> 21. I plan on following up with Best Buy corporate, I need that credit
> >> application...
> >>
> >> 22. My brain is dead, hope this is enough for now.
> >>
> >> Jay
> >>
> >>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> >>> Hash: SHA1
> >>>
> >>> I will check w/ my mom.
> >>>
> >>> Call ALL your credit card companies NOW and tell them this
> >>> happened. Ask
> >>> them what they can do to help and what you should do. Bank(s) you do
> >>> business with also. Check with work as they might have some type of
> >>> program to assist you.
> >>>
> >>> The credit card companies or your bank might be of assistance in
> >>> getting
> >>> protection (passwords added to accounts, flags set, no new accounts
> >>> opened w/o a passcode, etc). I remember my mom had to do this.
> >>>
> >>> FYI, everyone I know who this happened to was NOT liable for the
> >>> bills.
> >>> Don't go in w/ an attitude. Go in trying to get their help and you
> >>> cooperate.
> >>>
> >>> IF you are held liable, then worry about it. Otherwise, do what you
> >>> can
> >>> to protect yourself from other damage. Chances are pretty good
> >>> another
> >>> card or 6 will show up shortly. It is USUALLY not a 1 time thing.
> >>>
> >>> Best of luck.
> >>>
> >>> Jay Hart wrote:
> >>>> I was made aware this evening that I have been a victim of
> >>>> identity theft.
> >>>> Someone(s) opened an account at Best Buy using all my
> >>>> identification,
> >>>> including my SSN, and rang up $15,000 worth of stuff.  Basically
> >>>> walked in,
> >>>> opened account, bought $15K of stuff, loaded it up, and off they
> >>>> went.
> >>>>
> >>>> I found out about it when the account information arrived at my
> >>>> house, along
> >>>> with the new Best Buy Store credit account card. I received two
> >>>> separate
> >>>> items
> >>>> in the mail, had they not arrived same day, I might have shredded
> >>>> both.
> >>>>
> >>>> I've called the credit reporting agencies, the FTC, my bank, and a
> >>>> Maryland
> >>>> Private Investigator.  Tomorrow I plan to take a little trip to
> >>>> the store to
> >>>> see what I can learn, maybe get the PI to help me out.
> >>>>
> >>>> If you have been the victim of identity theft, what other stuff
> >>>> should I
> >>>> know,
> >>>> and what kinds of problems did you encounter that would be good
> >>>> stuff to
> >>>> know?
> >>>>
> >>>> I'm hoping the store is going to want to work with me since they
> >>>> are out
> >>>> $15K
> >>>> of stuff.  The FTC uses your data to search for patterns, so I
> >>>> figure they
> >>>> will not be of much help to me.  Equifax will help me out, by
> >>>> putting blocks
> >>>> on my account, but most of their services will cost me money.  My
> >>>> best shot
> >>>> is
> >>>> either video footage at the store, and/or fingerprints on the credit
> >>>> application.
> >>>>
> >>>> Jay Hart
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Ma-linux mailing list
> >>>> Ma-linux@calypso.tux.org
> >>>> http://calypso.tux.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ma-linux
> >>>
> >>> - --
> >>> greg pryzby                              greg at pryzby dot org
> >>> fingerprint: 8A1A DB90 869F 5DD1 D6E9 EEB6 C156 6B04 849F A86F
> >>> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> >>> Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux)
> >>> Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org
> >>>
> >>> iD8DBQFIeMMrwVZrBISfqG8RAui8AJ9sOYefkxTnrI5ck54ZxJdv3C6bUACfT375
> >>> 6Udt88lbFSP+VQoGrIS0ed4=
> >>> =4l0d
> >>> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
> >>>
> >>
> >>
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> >
> > --
> > John Franklin
> > franklin@elfie.org
> > ICBM: 38º 56' 32.6"N 77º 24' 47.7"W Z+62m
> >
> >
> 
> 
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Remember, all Windows machines are, by definition, fault tolerant.

              They run Windows don't they!!
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