What is Digg?50 Comments
- pubincome, on 10/12/2007, -5/+52Note to self: Don't get identity stolen.
- evensong, on 10/12/2007, -1/+20"oh they forgot a step: buy a bunch of stuff having it shipped to people you hate, THEN call and say you were scammed."
I think that may fall under "how to get into jail" - PlanetAndrea, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12very interesting :D thx for the info
- DruSam, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10Good advice, ALWAYS write down the name of the individual helping you in your case. You want to keep that same person so they know your situation. Too many of these credit bureau employees don't pass their information along to other co-workers.
- Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8BaH! Anyone who steals my identity... should have to KEEP being me. It would probably be considered cruel and unusual punishment though.
- katoved, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I have had my identity stolen, this was very helpful.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6My friend is making a website where you can trade your identity with other people.
/of course that's not true, but it would be funny. - Deliguy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Great article. Makes me feel like jumping
- surferlove, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Wow, talk about informative. I think this could acually save a lot of people from getting their identity stolen
- killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -10/+13wow A wordpress blog w/ 60 diggs and it's not dead?? damn
- jbzd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3lol... and let me guess... was this on the same site to hook you up with nigerian billionaires?
- weizilla, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Reminds me of that story a few weeks ago where you put in your social security number in a company's website and they check to see if it's been "stolen" already.
- mjrpes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2About point #7: A couple years ago I had my wallet stolen. When I went to the California DMV, I learn that they would not issue me a new ID number, even under the circumstance of having a license stolen. This caught me by surprise and I accepted it, but to this day I don't know whether it would have been wise to push the issue further with them.
- Physnik, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Sadly I received this phone call from my bank about a week ago. I have taken care of about 3/4 of the suggestions on the list but the others were new to me and will be taken care of shortly. Thanks for the submission.
- pureliquidhw, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2You still have to go through the same processes to protect your credit. Identity Theft Insurance does not stop them from opening new accounts either, especially if they have your SSN. But if it helps you sleep better at night, then I guess it is worth it.
- crashflow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2thanks to your friends website, i was able to trade my rather dull identity with a famous athlete's. According to the file, he was NFL Player of the Year in 1972, inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. Man, that was a sweet deal. Me! A famous football player! Yeah!
Guys, from now on, call me O.J. - nypix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You should feel like a fool for not knowing what the ***** you're talking about and making an asinine post. You had total control over what you did, and no matter what steps you take you do not in some instances of id theft.
- Wonderkind, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My wife just received her new Costco/Amex card in the mail with someone else's photo on the back.
This was after Amex required an unusual amount of ID (electric bill, birth certificate).
Also, her limit went way up. Maybe she'll charge a new Toyota. - jbzd, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Well, I don't know about the people above me, but like I said, been following this blog for a while... There are no ads or anything except links to gov't sites... so this isn't really blog spam dude. Did you even visit?
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Sign me up, I need a better identity.
- jbzd, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3The last step says this as well.... i don't think it's incomplete...
- catchphrase, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I am fortunate. I will never need credit again
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4> haha sockpuppet-y, explain?
You know...
blog spam, astroterf, fake
Sockepupet-y: having a coversatation with yourself just becuase your hand is up some sock's ass. - pwr4, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Very good summary. I was the victim of ID theft eight years ago. I did everything except file a police report. Four years later, when a collection agent tried to collect on the debt, I sent them the documentation I send to the Credit Reporting Agencies, but they asked to see a police report. Since I didn't have one, they kept pursuing me for the money. Luckily, I had moved to another state, so it would've been too expensive for them to take legal action. It gave me time to clear up my credit history.
Also, if you live near a college or university with a law school, they may have second or third year law students volunteer to help you with issues like ID theft (as well as others). It's part of their education or resume builing process. - TdiFFRob6876, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Forget bookmarking, this digg its going into my "Important Pages" folder. You just never know these day when you're identity will be stolen. I used to work near the fraud department and see many fraudulent orders at the last place I worked at. Having ppl buy hundreds of dollars in computers and accessories under your credit card is not fun.
- ethan01, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2yes what a helpful article. this has happened to me so many times.
- Myztry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0oh, and not only would the fact that the schoolkid in the bank ID photo looking like a younger you make it easy to reclaim your identity but images of false people would stand out. Maing them a lot easier to catch and convict.
Come on. It's a connected world. The answer is trivial. You're local store could have you 'cached'. They'd only have to download once and be sure ever after. - SwissCamel, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2They missed out my biggest tip: Start acting like a right old gay queen, doing pornos and *****. Hopefully the thief will become too ashamed to use your identity and you can have it back.
- lazyeyesam, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I used to be Brad Pitt. Damn that imposter...!
- kasodo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Someone from Illinois stole my identity and started making gas station purchases for a total of over $300.00. I was so mad! Thank god i cought it fast enough and my bank worked with me to resolve the issues. I had to order new cards and everything, it wasn't a good experience...
- jened, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1i'm digging just cause i love the sockpuppet-y comment
- coffeebot, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1things to do: get someone with a humorous voice to do your voiceover in a credit card commercial.
- csfreakaleak, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1hopefully i will never have to use it but very good post
- jbzd, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3thx, i've been reading this guy's blog since he started it last week. he seems to know his stuff. this is a good reference if you think your identity has been stolen.
- wachter1, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2There is lots of incomplete (and therefore bad) advice in this article! Bottom line: Put everything in writing. Everything! Everything! EVERYTHING! Call to report you card stolen, but also get the fax number so that you can follow up the phone call with a fax that confirms everything in writing. Taking names and making handwritten notes is not enough. The followup letter should also include a specific request/demand that the creditor shall not report the account as being late or delinquent.
Someone stole my card number (not the card, just the number) and maxed it out. When I found out I put everything in writing, and I had no problems whatsoever. I would guess that 99% of the people who suffer identity theft and then later complain that it ruined their lives could have avoided 99% of the pain if they had put everything in writing from the day they found out. - Myztry, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I don't think most of this qualifies as identity theft. If someone mis-uses a Credit Card or something they've hardly taken on your identity. They've just obtained goods/services through deception. Maybe they've stolen or 'found' a Credit Card and are able to forge a signature. It quite annoys me that I can't get an exclusive pin put on my credit card. The verification method (signature) is there for the copying. And often the merchant doesn't even check that.
On the other hand, if someone has enough documentation to falsely 'prove' that they are you then there's real problems. It's when they can obtain new 'genuine' documents or accounts that the problem deepens. In Australia at least, for most serious things, you need at least 100 'points' of ID. At least one of which must be a photo ID. But even that's not fool proof.
The most effective way would be to have a central publicly accessable photo registry where each ID # shows the persons image. Nothing but the images taken through time. No unique global ID or extraneous information. The hardest thing to forge but easiest to carry is one's face. Absolute proof (except for twins and dopplegangers).
If you can't stand either strangers or the merchant opposite looking at you then you've got a problem and really shouldn't go outside. In which case you're probrably overdue for some mental therapy, or you're a theif and overdue for some jail time. - lazar85, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1wow, great article. definitely need to be on the look out here.
- catchphrase, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I have identity theft insurance. It will pay back $20,000 maximum. It's about $70 per year but if my identity is stolen, the $70 per year will have been well spent.
- 6ftDeep, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Gee just 8 steps !! By the time you get to 5 your being bombarded by debt collections and fraud police beating down your door for stuff you didn't purchase or do !!!!
Thanx but i will stick to my own plan...steal my identity ..i'll kill you and collect my own Life insurance money under my NEW assumed name
YOURS !! Pay backs a BEOTCH !!! Tit for tat is what i always say ..take my name , than i will take yours
!!
Thanx for making me RICH dead beat !!! See how easy that was....Sure i wouldn't be me any longer but than again who is after receiving a few million dollars on a life insurance plan once it's given to them :)
Can you say NEW LIFE PARRRRRRTTTTTTY !!!
BTW My immediate call me FRANK ....But you sweeeeet thing can call me STEVE :) ...
See how easy that was - HunterTV, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4Smartass?
- tomboy501, on 10/12/2007, -9/+5These kind of comments ^ are soooo obvious. "Thanx"..."so helpful"..."very informative"
Buried for weird sockpuppet-y activity. - orangery, on 10/12/2007, -7/+3around blax neva relax.
- trillions, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1i had my identity stolen. it was very helpful, and lively.
/dig down. - ers35, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4Wordpress.com?
- HunterTV, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3"A wordpress blog w/ 60 diggs and it's not dead"
No images? - surferlove, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1haha sockpuppet-y, explain?
- fremeer, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Step 1: Feel like a fool cause u got ur identity stolen
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: Profit! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4oh they forgot a step: buy a bunch of stuff having it shipped to people you hate, THEN call and say you were scammed.
- manfrin, on 10/12/2007, -7/+2Wow, way to be obvious in your Digg spamming.
"He's saying something rational that singles my fake accounts out! BURY!" - manfrin, on 10/12/2007, -11/+4@jbzd, please don't solicit a digg from me by spamming everyone on your IM list. It's annoying. If the article is good, it will get dugg. Don't IM me and go 'DIGG THIS!'.
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