Posted on 09/18/2017 6:32:37 AM PDT by Leaning Right
Having your identity stolen is no stroll along the beach. Getting your name cleared takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes money.
*snip*
To prevent your identity from being stolen, or to prevent further identity theft after your identity has already been stolen, you might consider freezing your credit report.
(Excerpt) Read more at thebalance.com ...
Bkmrk.
A customer in my store told me that she had here credit stolen. How? It wasn’t because of a credit card, she didn’t use them.
They got the info from a check she used to pay a bill. All the info needed is at the bottom of a check.
The whole credit bureau industry needs to be investigated and reformed. My wife and I have fought tooth and nail to have totally erroneous information removed from our credit reports. The credit reports vary by hundreds of points between credit reporting agencies. Now millions of people have had personal data compromised. I have long thought credit reporting as it being done now is a joke.
> They got the info from a check she used to pay a bill. <
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Many sites allow pay-by-check. So I suppose a thief who knows you check info can order something for himself online. I wonder if that can be blocked.
Bttt
The answer to the question I had....
Bookmark
Equifax bookmark.
I wonder why they didn’t add to their demands of ‘what positions do you have sex in?’....
Good post. Freezing has effects folks should be aware of. Of course, if you apply for new credit - card, car, house, you’ll run into problems with the freeze. If you apply for increase in credit limit.. same thing.
What happens is your credit file is frozen from being queried by any lender. There are various reasons lenders do this, including your current credit cards’ companies.
I’m not recommending against, just noting that it has impact we should be aware of.
>>>I assume that the credit freeze would affect all LARGE amounts - house, car etc., but maybe that’s wrong...how about retail stores credit lines?”
>>>>”refers to FREEZING YOUR CREDIT REPORT...It’s not the report I’m concerned with - it’s the CREDIT!”
The way to look at is most, almost all lenders, retail stores included, will not give you credit without checking your credit report. So a freeze there will freeze your credit - you and anyone else that tries to use it.
Freezes can be a good move, especially if you’ve had evidence of ID theft. There are alternatives.
There’s two types of creditors/lenders: Those that require a credit file check first and those that don’t - those that don’t are on the hook if it’s not you doing the credit, no matter what - though you may have to take action to get their reporting off your file.
You can get credit protection service that notifies you of any inquiry for credit and any new credit accounts in your name/ID. If it’s not you, you notify the lender, it ain’t you and you’re not liable.
For creditors who don’t check credit, same thing, they’re on the hook for granting credit without checking.
Credit freeze, credit monitoring, either, both, none? Up to the person.
Something I do, that’s free: All my accounts, bank and card, have alerts and notification features. I turn these on full. I get bank balances emailed every day, “card not present” transactions for some cards and every credit transaction for other cards - immediately.
Other option: Don’t use credit.
“I wonder why they didn’t add to their demands of “what positions do you have sex in?”
My response to your post is:
Based on the US Congress and their actions to date including Paul Ryan and Turtle Face McConnell, et al. the position that they expect We The People to be in is “bent over.”
I hear you. Thanks for your post.
Excellent advice!
I don't know about credit cards but am looking into lowering my credit limit on my cards. Don't know if it's a good move or not. I just don't want to pay for something I didn't buy.
I understand this *service/option* is not free.
PFFT! We have conglomerates screwing with our data, and it costs us to use a service, which we never subscribed to, to begin with. PFFT!
I think from all I’ve read that credit cards won’t be a problem. We consumers always have the protection on those of disputing any charge that we didn’t make. We’ve had it happen a couple of times and the company never gives us any static. They may wait to investigate before reversing it or they may do it immediately. I’ve had it happen both ways but it always gets done.
Still cogitating on the whole subject of credit freeze. I think it’s a wise move but hesitant to put so much info out there to get it done. It’s reported that it can be done online but I don’t see how all the proof of ID required if the request was mailed in would be able to be included if the request was made online. Small detail - HA!
BFL
BFL
> It’s reported that it [a freeze] can be done online but I don’t see how all the proof of ID required if the request was mailed in would be able to be included if the request was made online. <
I’m told that when doing an online freeze, you are asked a series of multiple choice questions specific to you. Such as “You used to live on one of these streets...”
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