victim of fraud and identity [theft]

[myip]

I am so surprised at how sophisticate fraud. Is there any services that notify you if someone try to open credit card, and cashing checks that is not written by you? I have closed my checking account. I am wondering how I can prevent it from the future.

 

[artringwald]

Here's some good suggestions:

http://www.in.gov/dfi/2505.htm

The most important one is to contact the 3 credit bureaus so you can verify any new credit inquiries.

 

[SMHarman]

Credit Sesame is good and free. It emails you when credit hits occur on your accounts.

Checking accounts require monitoring. Why I won't go paperless. Opening the statement I get in the mail and spending 40 seconds scanning it is easier than logging in to each account each month.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[presley]

Cover your bases in as many places as you can. You can freeze your credit with all 3 agencies. If you want to open up credit somewhere in the future, you can unfreeze for a short period of time, or permanently unfreeze it.

When my identity was stolen, I set up some fraud prevention with some services I was already paying for. AAA has something free for members and my credit union also offered a free service. I could pay both to get "premium" service, but I figured between having those 2 set up and my credit frozen, I should be okay. If you were targeted through your bank, I am not sure that any of things would have helped you, though.

 

[geekette]

My credit union would be getting an earful as a series of checks FOR CASH would be very unusual behavior. I would definitely inquire as to your bank's liability in this matter - IF - this series of cashed checks should have looked odd to them based on your normal transactions. Since I don't write checks, I should have been called FAST. not sure same for you? I feel they should have had your back and should either help you on this matter or simply become your old bank.

 

[tompalm]

I froze my credit about five years ago and feel good about doing that. I am not worried about identity theft and there is a small chance someone could get my checking account number and write checks, but that is about as far as having to worry about theft. However, every time I open a new credit card or do a refi on my mortgage or take out a home equity loan, I have to unlock my credit and work around the lock. It takes a little time, but it has been worth it.

 

[DeniseM]

I am so surprised at how sophisticate fraud. Is there any services that notify you if someone try to open credit card, and cashing checks that is not written by you? I have closed my checking account. I am wondering how I can prevent it from the future.

How did they get your checks?

 

[myip]

How did they get your checks?

No idea. One day, American Express did an un-authorize ACH from my checking account. I report it to my bank and freeze my account The next day, Sears and ATT attempt to ACH from my checking account. I really can't figure out how the theft uses American Express, ATT and Sears (never go to Sears) to get money from my account. The big surprise is that the person attempts to cash the check from the bank. The amount they asked is not that much. If you don't pay attention, you won't notice it. It seems legit since the transaction has big company name on it.

I froze my credit

How do you freeze credit? Do you just call the Experian?

How is a good credit monitoring company to use?

 

[DeniseM]

So they tried to cash an actual paper check - but you have no checks missing?

 

[ace2000]

So they tried to cash an actual paper check - but you have no checks missing?

She mentioned ACH, which indicates that it was electronic. (Even though post #1 mentions "cashing" a check.)

 

[DeniseM]

She mentioned ACH, which indicates that it was electronic.

This is not an ACH:

The big surprise is that the person attempts to cash the check from the bank.

 

[Karen G]

So they tried to cash an actual paper check - but you have no checks missing?

If someone has your checking account and bank routing numbers, which appear on your real checks, they can have bogus checks printed. Also, now that checks can be deposited by mobile phones, they don't even have to go to the bank to try to get your money.

 

[ace2000]

This is not an ACH:

I think the OP just knows that the check posted. I'm not sure they realize how it posted and assumed. That's my guess based on her comment about the ACH transactions.

 

[DeniseM]

I think the OP just knows that the check posted. I'm not sure they realize how it posted and assumed. That's my guess based on her comment about the ACH transactions.

That's not what she said, so thanks, but I'd like to hear it from her...

 

[ace2000]

That's not what she said, so thanks, but I'd like to hear it from her...

LOL - you did hear it from her, she answered you in post #8 and said it was ACH.

 

[DeniseM]

LOL - you did hear it from her, she answered you in post #8 and said it was ACH.

Thank you for your valuable insight - but my question is to the OP.

It appears that there were TWO types of incidences: ACH withdrawals, and attempted check cashing. I'm just interested it what happened.

 

[myip]

They did both. I discovered the fraud the day after it happen. They first ACH from AMEX came through on Monday night. I noticed and reported it to the bank on Tuesday morning (lucky, I was doing some on-line payment on Tue) and reported to the bank. Account was freeze. On Tuesday night, ATT and Sears tried to do another ACH. Wed, someone tried to cash a faked check in another branch. The account is frozen, no money can be taken out. We could have caught the theft if I didn't miss the phone call from the bank for verification.

How do you freeze credit? Anyone use Identity Guard for monitoring?

 

[DeniseM]

Thank you so much for clarifying! Did the bank keep the check to determine where is came from or how it was created?

You can go online and freeze your credit with any of the big 3 credit bureaus - they will notify the other two.

 

[IngridN]

They did both. I discovered the fraud the day after it happen. They first ACH from AMEX came through on Monday night. I noticed and reported it to the bank on Tuesday morning (lucky, I was doing some on-line payment on Tue) and reported to the bank. Account was freeze. On Tuesday night, ATT and Sears tried to do another ACH. Wed, someone tried to cash a faked check in another branch. The account is frozen, no money can be taken out. We could have caught the theft if I didn't miss the phone call from the bank for verification.

How do you freeze credit? Anyone use Identity Guard for monitoring?

I am in the process of freezing my credit. You need to contact each of the 3 credit bureaus; they do not notify the others. You can do it online, by phone, or by mail. There's a nominal fee (around $10 IIRC) for freezing as well as unfreezing. A hint I got from someone who's had their credit frozen for years is that when you need credit, find out which of the 3 bureaus they run their credit report from and reopen only that one for a couple of days.

Ingrid

 

[DeniseM]

When my identity was stolen about 6 mos. ago, I froze my credit, and the formal response I got back from the credit bureau was that it would be frozen with all three credit bureaus. But maybe that's changed.

 

[IngridN]

When my identity was stolen about 6 mos. ago, I froze my credit, and the formal response I got back from the credit bureau was that it would be frozen with all three credit bureaus. But maybe that's changed.

It may be different if you are freezing credit because of identity theft and have a police report/other documentation to that effect. IIRC, there is also no cost involved under those circumstances. Also, rules may be state specific.

I'm freezing credit because I'm tired of hearing about the constant breaches and since we don't anticipate a need for additional credit, it seems a prudent thing to do. Under my circumstances, I will need to contact and pay each bureau.

Ingrid

 

[bogey21]

Cover your bases in as many places as you can. You can freeze your credit with all 3 agencies. If you want to open up credit somewhere in the future, you can unfreeze for a short period of time, or permanently unfreeze it.

I froze my accounts at the 3 Credit Agencies about 4 years ago. I think it cost me something like $10 each. I had to unfreeze my Experian account yesterday. It was a simple process.

I went to their website; answered a question or two; imput my 8 digit code; and paid them another $10 with my credit card. They gave me the option of opening up my account for either a specific company or for a specific length of time. Since I was at a car dealer that had various locations with similar names I opted to unfreeze my account for 24 hours.

I figure spending $50 or $60 over the 4 years or so my account has been frozen is both cheaper and more precise than paying for a service.

George

George

 

[presley]

How do you freeze credit?

You can do it by googling the 3 credit reporting agencies and looking on their websites. Or, just google, "freeze credit" and make sure you only go to the legitimate sites. I think you can do some of them online instantly.

I sent in police reports so I could freeze mine for free. The law in my state allows me to freeze/unfreeze as often as I want since I have a police report with an identity theft on it. While it is free, it takes a lot longer than paying and doing it yourself because you have to mail in the police report before they freeze the credit. If you are actively having accounts opened in your name, you'll want to pay and freeze your credit immediately.

 

[myip]

So they tried to cash an actual paper check - but you have no checks missing?

I have no missing check. They create a new check from the printer.

I will freeze my credit in the Expedian, TransUnion and Equifax.

 

[presley]

I have no missing check. They create a new check from the printer.

I will freeze my credit in the Expedian, TransUnion and Equifax.

Do you have any idea who/how they did this? I am asking because freezing credit won't stop people from creating checks and using them and just thinking about my overall security.