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The Identity Theft Prevention Thread


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The Identity Theft Prevention Thread
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-03-28, 07:17

I figure there are times when we all have questions about this stuff and want to make sure we're doing all we can to protect ourselves, or doing the right thing if we've made a mistake.

My mistake (I think - not 100% sure) was leaving a credit card receipt behind at a bar last night. I believe also the machine they use is one of those fucking worthless machines that lists the full number on the receipt, but not sure about the name. So my question to you guys since I've never tried it: if some slimy scumbag saw my receipt before the cashier and picked it up... they now how my credit card number and possibly my name (but I don't think the name was on there).

Is is possible for them with both pieces of information (or just the number), to go online and buy crap with my credit card number, or somehow clone it to a blank card and use that? My suspicion is that unless they have my name, address and my 3 digit code, they probably can't do anything online or elsewhere with my number. Like people who leave receipts at the gas pump? Also thinking I've never seen a receipt that had all that information on it but being paranoid I thought I'd ask. I have seen receipts with my name and a partial number, so I am assuming it's possible some machines use name and full number also? Any of you have receipts like that from your cards? Worried I'm overlooking something and should consider changing the account number? All this lead me this morning to put an alert on my account for transactions over $100, but that's not of much use if they go around charging $50 everywhere.

Also thinking about issuing a credit information freeze to all three credit agencies, as in general it sounds like a good idea unless you're trying to get new car, car loan, mortgage refinance, etc. I've read the for-pay monitoring services are pretty worthless and that LifeLock is also worthless because it's just repackaging free services that you're legally entitled to (report from all the bureaus once a year, etc), plus a couple extras like insurance.

Thoughts?

NOTE: If you're new to this internet stuff, please do not ever post any personally identifiable information (when giving examples, etc.) in this thread or any other forum. This is just a place to discuss vaguely what we can do to protect our info and credit.

...into the light of a dark black night.

Last edited by Moogs : 2009-03-28 at 07:33.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-03-28, 12:54

Good news: I don't think I left a receipt. I called and asked if they normally give receipts and the answer was "only if you ask for one". So hopefully that's the truth and I'm OK. But I did remember seeing my full number on the main receipt that that's where my panic alarm sounded.

Tangent: is there any worse feeling on earth than the panic that sets in when you can't find your wallet, and that you were just in some public place so you fear you left it there? I've had that happen once or twice where I had placed the wallet in a jacket pocket or in my car compartment thingy and I forgot I put it there... then you get in the house and you go to pull it out of your pocket. That is a horrible feeling. "Ohhhh fuck, what have I done to myself?!"

...into the light of a dark black night.
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addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2009-03-28, 14:24

I was once preparing for a trip, got a fair amount of cash, gassed up the car, started up a freeway ramp to take care of some other preflight business, BOOM! Where's my wallet? Oh shit! Oh shit! Abrupt, panicky flailing motions in the direction of the passenger seat, BOOM! I've strayed a bit on the ramp and managed to clip the median, now I have a flat tire! F.M.L., as another thread would have it. So I'm sitting there thinking "WTF just happened? How could it all go so terribly wrong, so suddenly?"

And yet.... called AAA, while I was waiting for them walked back to the gas station just blocks away, had left my wallet on top of the pump and somebody had turned it in, unmolested, to the cashier. Quick tow to the tire store for a new tire (sidewall blowout), which somehow I had thought to purchase road hazard coverage on, and, amazingly, within the hour it was as if nothing had happened.

Has nothing to do with identify theft, but it certainly made a lasting impression.

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-03-28, 19:41

I know... crazy how life can twist and turn like that. Glad it worked out OK for you. In this day and age you'd think 7 out of 10 wallets left on a pump / at a cash register, etc. are gone for sure.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2009-03-28, 19:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by Moogs View Post
I know... crazy how life can twist and turn like that. Glad it worked out OK for you. In this day and age you'd think 7 out of 10 wallets left on a pump / at a cash register, etc. are gone for sure.
This is Oakland, so I would have figured 9 out of 10 and if you didn't cancel your credit cards within 15 minutes they would be maxed out. I was never gladder to be proven mistaken.

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
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billybobsky
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Inner Swabia. If you have to ask twice, don't.
 
2009-03-28, 20:15

My mom has had her identity stolen twice by the same people...

She bought a bag of some sort at a craft's fair in Ashevillle, NC, and evidently the proprietors were using the craft sales to drive collection of credit card numbers. The FBI arrested some of them, but evidently not the entire bunch...

Paying cash is probably always the best...
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-03-28, 20:22

Definitely the best in non-reputable retailers. Stuff like art fairs, etc, I would only pay with cc if the sponsoring organization itself (like a Park District) was taking payment. I even felt kind of stupid paying at the bar with cc last night afterward. Going to make a point of hitting the cash station at the bank first next time. Which reminds me:

NEVER use an ATM at a bar or run down gas station where the machine is not closely monitored / could be rigged to videotape your PIN / record your numbers. Machines can be hacked pretty easily apparently so only use bank ATMs and preferably ones that are indoors.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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ezkcdude
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2009-03-31, 20:54

Conficker's coming to get us all. April 1.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-03-31, 21:08

Another Windows destructo virus?
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bassplayinMacFiend
Banging the Bottom End
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2009-04-01, 07:34

Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post
I was once preparing for a trip, got a fair amount of cash, gassed up the car, started up a freeway ramp to take care of some other preflight business, BOOM! Where's my wallet? Oh shit! Oh shit! Abrupt, panicky flailing motions in the direction of the passenger seat, BOOM! I've strayed a bit on the ramp and managed to clip the median, now I have a flat tire! F.M.L., as another thread would have it. So I'm sitting there thinking "WTF just happened? How could it all go so terribly wrong, so suddenly?"
Reminds me of the time I was headed from New England to Wisconsin to catch a show at Alpine Valley. Just outside of Chicago we gassed up the car and headed off. Hit the toll booth and that's when we realized the only person with money had left their bag on top of my car at the last gas station. Ever try panhandling for a toll on the main highway through Chicago? I'm surprised we weren't killed. Funny thing is all the pissed off people wouldn't give us money to get out of their way. Finally we blew off the toll and headed on our merry way. Surprised the toll guy didn't call the cops on us.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-04-01, 08:30

Yah uh... this is Chicago, not Mayberry. While you may get friendlier treatment when bumping into someone on the actual streets of Chicago, than you would in New York or LA, that's about it. Don't expect people to stop and help you when you should stay in your vehicle by all accounts in that situation.

No one driving on the major highways here gives a shit that you lost your toll money; only that you're disrupting traffic and causing a hazard. Blow off the toll and keep moving, every time. Better to just get a fine in the mail than risk accidents. If you're lucky the state of illinois won't take the time to track you down in Wisconsin and send you a fine. Even if they did, if you're registered up there I'm not sure how they could enforce it. Although now the whole area is getting rigged with automated speeding radar, toll cameras, etc. I'm sure this summer when the construction is done we're going to get a flood of blogs and stories about people getting nailed for speeding... via the mail. With a shot of their license plate, location and speed. Not looking forward to that day.

Anyway, I see from my credit card account online that the correct amount was charged to my card the other night and so far no extraneous charges appearing, though I'll definitely keep my eye on it. Also got a little jumpy when I had an overdraft notice show up the other day, from an ATM in Florida (I was recently down there but the two times I used the ATM I had a balance left)... but it turned out it was a crossed up check that had cleared but not actually been charged to my account or something. Bank waived the fee, but I had one of those machines in a grocery store that took my pin, let me specify an amount, and then nothing came out. So I cancelled the transaction. I had this vision of the store owner taking the money out of the back of the machine (behind a wall) as every customer left. Some seedy shit down there if you get away from the bank-located ATMs.

My official rule now: if the ATM isn't on the bank's premises, I'm not using it. Get your money when you can, just like gassing up on the highway... don't wait to find an ATM at your destination because if it's in a grocery story, gas station, restaurant, bar, etc. chances are much better someone can rig it to rip off either your cash or your card number and pin....

...into the light of a dark black night.

Last edited by Moogs : 2009-04-01 at 08:41.
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bassplayinMacFiend
Banging the Bottom End
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2009-04-01, 08:56

Well, it happened back in '88 so I don't think they're worried about it.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2009-04-01, 11:19

Yah I think you're in the clear. At that time the governor was too busy handing out bogus trucker licenses to unions and other losers, so they could kill some innocent families on the road... no time to be chasing you down.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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