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Wednesday, September 19, 2007 10:12 AM

Identity Theft Scare

I'm obsessed with checking my bank activity online -- and it's a good thing. Last week, I was about to pay a bill online when I noticed that our bank account balance was extremely low. First instinct: the husband. But then I looked at the charges and noticed that there were three withdrawals from an ATM in Brazil for over $1000! I've never even been to Brazil.

I immediately called our bank who said that yes, someone had been using my debit card number to take out money. But I have my card in my possession. They said someone could have stolen the number when we were traveling in Peru a month ago. I guess this happens all the time. We were credited all the missing money, thank heavens, but this left me totally paranoid about identity theft.

We're going to stop using our debit card for purchases, and use a credit card instead. Though I don't love racking up the credit card purchases (and interest), I just don't have a good feeling about giving merchants access to our bank account.

After reading this article "Is Your Identity Safe?" I've also decided to call the credit bureaus to put a fraud watch on all our accounts. Has something like this happened to anyone else? Any tips for how to resolve it or prevent it?

Posted by Kathleen*
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Comments

re: Identity Theft Scare

Great topic...I double-checked my account right after reading this post. In the last year, my account has been "compromised" twice in some way or another, and I've had to open new accounts and get new numbers, checks, etc. (There's still a box of new checks MIA from the last switch.) Fortunately, I've never had any cash stolen, but it raises alot of questions about what OTHER info. is still floating out there -- SS#, etc. I'm inches away from switching banks completely--not only b/c their response to the security breaches have been feeble, I've also heard that's the best way to stop it from happening again and again.

I hadn't signed up for the fraud watch, but I'm on it now. Thanks for the tip!

Posted by Nest Colleen    Thursday, September 20, 2007 10:28 AM


re: Identity Theft Scare

This happened to me to about two years ago.  I took my daughter to Memphis TN for a college interview and we stayed in a Memphis hotel.  I think the person who did this worked at that hotel front desk because that's where I used my bank debit card in Memphis.  Anyway, not long after I returned home, some charges started appearing on my bank account.  I'm also obsessive about checking my bank account online.  I do it every day.  Someone got a new cell phone account and new phone with my money.  They even went so far as to order pizza from Pizza Hut online and have it delivered to their home using my bank account!  It was the same situation as yours wherein I still had my debit card in my possession.  The thing that is weird is that I filed a police report, reported it to the bank, and canceled the debit card and got another one.  I thought since they knew who did it (pizza delivered to their house), they would be arrested but the bank told me they don't go after these identity theft criminals because it's so common that it's not worth the effort!  They said they usually just refund the money to their customers and absorb the loss.  I was amazed by this!  They told me I shouldn't care if they go after the person who did it because I got my money back.  I just found this almost a bigger crime than the crime itself!

Posted by skeeter59    Friday, September 21, 2007 7:07 AM


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