Why all the fuss about identity theft?

[djmcmath]

It isn't often that Dilbert is on-topic at Pelican...

[cool_chick]

Originally posted by Dantilla
I put a fraud alert on my credit report a while ago as a preventative measure.

Credit grantors are required to call my home phone and verify with me before opening any type of account. How does it work? No more credit card offers in the mail. I have no need for any more credit accounts, so no one has had to call me at home.

I got really ticked-off a couple of years ago when I bought a "fixer-upper" house. In the mailbox came a "pre-approved" credit card offer, with a spot to change the name or address! Attention anybody! Put your name on this piece of paper and charge whatever you want to the shmuck who just bought this empty house! And I wasn't supposed to be getting any mail there.

How did you go about doing this? Who did you contact? I have been wanting to end these crap offers being sent to me too. It terrifies me... Plus, I want no part of their scam.

[azasadny]

Some crack head in Detroit ordered a phone using my identity several years ago and we didn't find out about it until we were denied a mortgage because of the "collection account" on our credit bureau report. We explained everything to our lender and worked with SBC (then Ameritech) and was a complete nightmare. Needless to say, we didn't get the interest rate we wanted and it took several years before SBC finally got it straightened out and took it off our record. It would come off, then reappear several months later and it drove us crazy! Identity theft is a serious problem and it's only getting worse!