Posted on 04/16/2012 6:32:07 AM PDT by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL
About three weeks ago, my husband received a call from a woman verifying applications for food stamps in Palm Beach County, Florida. The lady on the phone, my husband and I quickly learned that someone in PBC had used my husband's ssn on an application requesting food stamps. My husband informed the lady that we have not lived in south FL since 2004, and that we've since been residing in Texas. She and my husband each thanked the other for the information, and she recommended we contact the Jupiter police department to file a report.
Over the next few weeks, my husband has been on the phone with the Jupiter Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff's office, the West Palm P.D. (where the food stamp app was submitted) and our own local p.d. in Texas. NO ONE wants to take my husband's report, either because we don't live in FL anymore, we need to file the report in person and our current city police have said they cannot help. Basically everyone is passing this off to someone else.
So last night, my husband went online to submit our tax forms to the IRS, however, it was denied because someone had already submitted a form using his ssn.
Please help!
Contact all three credit reporting agencies and file an identity theft. Then call the IRS and let them know what you’ve done so far. After that I’m not sure.
But when we have a “President” using a fake SSN who knows what government will do or if they will even care.
and
https://www.fs.ml.com/publish/public/privacy_security/report_theft_and_fraud/report_theft_and_fraud.asp
Are good starts
File with the credit reporting agencies asap, they have instructions on their website.
File with all 3 companies.
The first thing I’d do is to do anything and everything to try and get some sort of a police report submitted that I can get a copy of. The next thing would be to search the IRS website for the keyword “fraud”, etc. and do the same thing with SSA...I’d then back this up with a call to the IRS and to the SSA...if you are persistent, you will eventually get a real person.
If you get clear of this, I’d invest in Lifelock for $9/month.
Be prepared, you may end up having to consult a lawyer specializing in identify fraud. Your state bar association should be able to give you referrals.
Good Luck....BTW...I’d get some new W-4s filed on your current income that cuts your tax bite to the bone so you don’t lose what you pay each month when you try to file next year.
Catch 22!
post #2 is excellent advice. Would also contact whoever you do your banking with to look for unusual activity. Contact your congressional rep’s office and ask for their advice also. Good Luck with this situation.
Also file a report with the FTC. They have a fraud and identity theft link on their website.
There is already some of the good advice I would offer. But you might also think about this: Why were you called at your number about a food stamp application while you lived in TX?
That first call was the beginning of the scam. They needed information from you to get something they needed. That’s why you got a call about it at all. The first call was a fishing expedition and it seems they got what they wanted.
Nobody from FL would have called a TX phone number to ask questions about a food stamp application. Further, the scammers would not have put your real # on the application if they even knew it.
Sorry. Good Luck and God Bless.
Thanks FRiends. Giving all this to dh.
Much of this advice seems good. You should also copy and MAIL in your IRS forms.
bingo
SS website
If someone has misused your Social Security number or other personal information to create credit or other problems for you, Social Security cannot resolve these problems. But there are several things you should do.
You should contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Or, you can call 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY 1-866-653-4261. The FTC website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you deter, detect and defend against identity theft.
You also may want to contact the Internal Revenue Service. An identity thief might also use your Social Security number to file a tax return in order to receive a refund. If the thief files the tax return before you do, the IRS will believe you already filed and received your refund if eligible. If your Social Security number is stolen, another individual may use it to get a job. That person’s employer would report income earned to the IRS using your Social Security number, making it appear that you did not report all of your income on your tax return. If you think you may have tax issues because someone has stolen your identity, contact the IRS Identity Protection Unit or call 1-800-908-4490.
Also, you should file an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
The IC3 gives victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. IC3 sends every complaint to one or more law enforcement or regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over the matter.
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
The whole situation is odd.
Why would they call your husband to verify a food stamp application? Did the person use your phone number (possibly new since you moved), did they use your new address as well?
Place a consumer alert on your credit reports.
I am more concerned someone has your husbands name phone number and Social Security Number (and whatever else you or your husband provided them over the phone).
Don’t bother with the police, it sounds more as if someone was phishing for information over the phone.
The lady seems to check out because she does work for the Dept. of Children & Families (ok, I know that sounds like its own comedy). My husband has called her once or twice since she called us. I’m not sure exactly how she got our current number, though. I’m guessing on the internet using something as easy as google.
Area codes do not mean much anymore. With phone number portability an individual can be anywhere with a Texas area code. Fact is, I have a 214 area code (cellular) and live nowhere close to the D/FW area or even in Texas.
“If someone has misused your Social Security number or other personal information to create credit or other problems for you, Social Security cannot resolve these problems. But there are several things you should do.”
In part this is SS fault. On my now very old SS card, it states the SS# is NOT to be used for identification purposes yet we have allowed our useless government to make ex post facto laws and now everyone except the clerk at the nail salon wants your SS#.
They forced us non-government worker types into this ponzi scheme then continue to change the laws after the fact.
If SS were in charge of other laws you could be arrested for committing a crime 10 years prior to it being a crime which is why the government was prohibited from passing ex post facto laws in the first place but who pays attention to the brilliance of the Founders anymore.
Agree too; on the 'Life Lock' - our family has this. Perhaps; you could sign up now. . .(explain sit) but using your own SSN; they could track what is happening and be of some help; don't know. Might be faster than Gov tracking; but of course; the Gov must be part of solution as well.
Hope no one is yet; taking advantage of your medical benefits; much less your SS check.
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