ID theft? or clever marketing?? [please help!!]

[Blue_Tires]

I'm in that demographic that gets credit card apps daily in the mail...more recently I noticed companies dressing up the applications as 'mock bills' with a paltry outstanding balance (of like $50) hoping some suckers would think it's real, send in $$$ and activate an account...

but tonight as i opened the mail, i saw what i thought was a mock bill with some real charges and dates on it!! The charges were made in the city i last lived in (moved out in June) at local businesses I recognized (safeway, liquor store, etc.)...I know credit card companies are ruthless, but would they actually send me a fake bill EVEN with fake charges?? I also got a separate confirmation letter thanking me for enrolling in their online service...

I just called customer service (this is the Chase Platinum Mastercard, if anyone was wondering)...they had my old phone# from my last apartment, address, and even my SSN, which I was most surprised about...I was transferred to their fraud department and the woman said they would send out a fraud confirmation for me to sign in 7-10 days, and I was responsible for none of the charges...

So my dilemma is this: is this part of one HUGE ruse to get me to sign up, or did some assclown really take out a card in my name?? If so, i need to pay whoever moved into my old apartment a visit. Do i need an attorney?? (can't believe i just said that)

what really scares me is i've thrown out a lot of these mock bills since moving to my new place...what if some of those were actually real??

[LynzM]

1. Get a copy of your credit report

Some places you can do it for free for a couple of months www.creditalert.com is one. You can check your report online, and they have an identity theft department to help you resolve anything on there that doesn't belong. It's probably the fastest way to tell what accounts you have opened.

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Did you forward your mail to your new place?

If you didn't (and sometimes even if you did) companies will continue sending the offers to your old address.

Either the new tenant or someone searching through THEIR mailbox may have grabbed your credit offer and signed you up. Get a copy of your credit report immediately, dispute, and use the fraud protection services that most credit cards offer now. You should be protected.

I wish you luck! This is hairy business.
FSC

[Obamarama]

3. If this was an incidence of identity theft, here's what else you can do...

I believe if you have been the victim of identity theft, your credit bureau might be able to flag your information so that if anyone applies for credit in your name, there is an identification verification process that must occur before the credit can be issued. Of course, if it's you the credit is issued. If not, you're safe. Not entirely sure how it works, but have heard it discussed on a couple radio programs.

[Blue_Tires]

4. thanks for the responses

i'm getting a credit report tomorrow

[welshTerrier2]

5. we've been going thru ID theft

mrs. wt2 had her pocketbook stolen in July ... what a mess ... they have her social security number, check book, check made out to her retirement account, credit card, driver's license, the works ...

be very careful ... there are some good websites that explain what you should do ... try googling "identity theft"

you might consider closing all your bank accounts ... if they have your social and know where you bank, they can take all the money out of your account ... also, be careful if you have any joint accounts ...

you should shut down all credit cards too ... the real problem is how and when to reopen accounts ...

the best thing you can do is put everyone on "high alert" ... we've recently contacted the state attorney general who seems very interested in the case ...

the person who did this went to the bank and provided a phony driver's license with her real picture on it ... the bank had an alert in effect and photocopied the person's fake license ... we now have her picture ...

then she tried to break into our online retirement account and failed ... the mutual fund company is getting us the I/P address from the computer she was using ... if we're lucky, we might be able to catch her with this piece of information ...

anyway, be very vigilant ... this can be a very expensive and never-ending business ...

[Bossy Monkey]

6. The probability is that someone got your info going through your trash

when you moved. The probability is absolutely against the new tenant in your old apartment doing it, as they wouldn't have gotten your old phone number. Let the credit card company track down the perpetrator and file charges. Get a shredder before throwing out anything with personal information on it.

[mark11727]

7. We bought a shredder a few years back ....

...anything with an account number or signature on it gets "the treatment".

[miss_kitty]

8. HERE ARE THE 3 CREDIT BUREAUS and the FTC

Federal Trade Commission
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Transunion
http://www.transunion.com/

Experion
http://www.experian.com/

Equifax
http://www.equifax.com/

start by making a police report
also contact Social Security, if it turns out the assclowns have your social. Password protect your Social Security #.

If there are a lot of accts opened, and cards were mailed to an address, call the Post Office.

Contact all three credit bureaus. I prefer phone for all of the above listed but you can get the 1 800 #s off the sites. Ask for 7 Year alerts. Equifax is slow. Experion wants a copy of your phone bill with address and Ph # to put the 7 year alert on your CBR. Dispute not only accts that are not yours, but any inquiries that arise from fraud use. If you can't interpret your CBR, you can call them and they will explain to you what stuff is-there are 2 types of inquiries and they treat them differently

Go to your bank tomorrow and out a password code on your acct so anyone calling needs to give that password-different from mother's maiden name-anyone can get that.

Call your state dept of licensing-see if anyone has ordered a new DL for you.
find out who you need to write to to get excluded from promo mailings-credit card companies have that info.
get a shredder and shred everything with personal info.

you have 60 days to dispute charges. you do not need an atty, but be prepared for a slog. if you work, take time off tomorrow, just to get the ball rolling.

if you are phoning, grab some magazines to read while you are holding...they are pretty fast, but...

Keep a record of your contacts-use word-it makes things easier for you!

good luck-i was an investigator AND a vic.