qualitycountz2003 asked:


Does being enrolled in a Credit Monitoring service get you more easily approved for credit cards?

I am offered this service for free for one year through my job, and i would like to know if being enrolled in a Credit Monitoring service which includes total protection from identity theft, can improve your chances when applying for credit cards and loans.

Or is it simply just good for protecting you from fraudelent charges?

Martha

Coredog asked:


I have been checking online and have not been having much luck. I don’t mind spending money, I just want something that does not charge monthly like most of the free reports do. I need all three different FICO scores from each reporting agency. I also don’t need that identity theft protection that most sites offer or slide in through the fine print. Does anyone know of a site and have experience using it?

Florence

Christine D asked:


This so-called company stole money right out of my bank account. They have never contacted me before – they got my bank information from a payday loan application. They are supposedly in the business of identity theft protection, but from where I’m sitting, it seems to be pretty ironic that they are in fact stealing my identity and money from me. Has anyone dealt with them? I have reported them to the BBB, and to Internet Fraud.

Evelyn

fanmegaman asked:


What happen here? please read the following:

We’re sorry, for your protection we are unable to deliver your FACT Act Equifax Free Annual Credit Report on the internet. There are a number of reasons that we may be unable to fulfill your request online. You may have a Security Freeze on your credit file, an Active Duty Military or Fraud Alert, or the identification information submitted online may not match the information on file.The following link will lead you to a form that is not screen-readable at this time. However, this form is not required to request your free Equifax credit report by mail. Please send your name, current address, former address, and social security number, along with any documents described below, to the following address: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For assistance by phone, please call us at 800-685-1111.

To request your Free Equifax Credit Report by mail, please fill out the attached form (PDF file), along with the documents described below, and mail them to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Please include with the attached form a copy of one item in EACH of the categories below in order to enable us to verify your identification and address. The item you submit from the “Identity” category MUST contain your Social Security Number and the item you submit from the “Address” category MUST contain your current home mailing address.

Identity
Social Security card
Pay stub with Social Security Number
W2 form

Address
Driver’s license
Rental or lease agreement/house deed
Pay stub with address
Utility bill (gas, electric, water, cable, residential telephone bills)

To ensure that your request is processed without delay, please enlarge photocopies of any items that contain small print (i.e. driver’s license, W2 forms, etc). To avoid additional delays, keep in mind that if photocopies you submit are not legible or contain highlighting, we may ask that you resubmit your request with more legible documents.

NOTE: If you have a Security Freeze on your file, you must include your 10 digit PIN along with the information requested above.

Your personal information is used solely for identification purposes and is not shared with anyone.

Ida

Ashley asked:


Please read the whole post if you think you have advice. I’m pretty far in the process but the load of fraud committed is spiraling out of my control to handle it.

I lost my wallet about 3 and a half weeks ago. Immediately I canceled the debit card that was in there for one checking account and closed another checking account that was associated with a brand new book of checks in the wallet. The thing I didn’t do and should have (among many) was closed the checking account that was associated with the debit card. I didn’t because they couldn’t use the debit card if it was found since I canceled it. I also didn’t put stop payments on the checks in the checkbook (for the other account) because for some reason I didn’t know which numbers they were. I just closed the account. I now know the numbers but it’s too late since the account has been closed for so long.

However, what was in my wallet is mind-blowingly horrendous to think about: I had my driver’s license, the debit card, checkbook, social security card, a card with the checking account number associated with the debit card, a blank check my mom had given me about a year ago that I foolishly never voided or shredded, my voter ID card, health insurance cards from expired insurance plan, my AAA card, etc., etc.

Basically every last thing they needed to become me.

The first thing they did was figure out the checking account number associated with the debit card and went to that bank and wrote themselves a check into that account from the checkbook of the other checking account that I had closed. So that was the first $200. This person must look an awful lot like me to be posing as me and I got the check image in the mail that showed the forged signature which they did a pretty good job of.

So that was the first thing which I attended to immediately and am in the process of filling out an affidavit to be notarized to get that expunged so it’s not the biggest hassle ever. There was only $12 in that checking account which is why I didn’t bother to close it (dumb) but I got that back after talking to the bank.

Then the retail returned checks started coming in. Steadily at first and I was on top of them calling and making sure I knew what I needed to do. I could keep everything straight in my head and on paper and was making every plan to remedy the situation with affidavits and everything.

Before I go on, I didn’t file an immediate police report. Honestly, I did not in a million years think this would happen and it really didn’t occur to me. However, after having talked to all these retailers (well, check processors or whatever), I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s imperative. So I have a case number for the wallet and a case number for the checks, but I know I’m going to have to get them more info. I was waiting for all these check processors to send me the check images in the mail so I could show the police but everybody urges me to just file the report right away as the retailers might have video of this person that they may get rid of soon. So tomorrow, first thing in the morning I’m calling the white collar crimes division of the PD to talk to the detective assigned to my cases.

What I also did was contact Transunion very early on to notify them of possible fraud. This was just an alert as I didn’t know that I would actually become a victim. So they are aware and today I enrolled in ID Theft Protection Insurance with Zander to make sure I’m okay in the future.

The problem now is that there are too many forged, returned checks for me to keep straight and I have no idea how to go about getting all this straightened out. There is a mound of paperwork for me to fill out for each returned check and I’m completely lost at this point. It’s spiraled totally out of my control.

The question is this: What do I do now? Hire a lawyer? Can somebody professionally help me sort through all of the fraud I have on my plate? I am at a breaking point where I’m about to have a nervous breakdown. I spent 2/3 of this day crying and not getting my work done because this situation is so daunting.

Any professional advice is so greatly appreciated. I know I didn’t fill in all the details so I’ll update this if I think of any.

Franklin

Steve Shingle asked:


Does anyone know how to protect your identity from credit card fraud and identity fraud because I was a victim of identity fraud and never want that to happen again, So if anyone knows the best id protection with a free fraud alert Please let me know . Thanks.

Vivian

StellaBtheWriter asked:


My future landlord ran a credit check on me, of course, and he said it showed that I’m a cosigner on a loan! So far as I know, I didn’t cosign on any loan, so I’m concerned. How can I learn more?

I have Identity Theft Protection with Discover Card and thought that tracked things such as this. Is there a way I can look up this info through that?

Karen

Ryan asked:


I received a random letter today from a hospital in North Dakota that stated debt collectors were trying to collect a payment from me. I have never lived in ND. I just recently moved from Ohio to Kentucky, so my information just changed over this week actually. I was worried that somebody stole my identity, so I contacted Equifax, so I could check my credit score. I am hoping that my change of address is what is causing the problems. However, after submitting my information, I was given this message:
We’re sorry, for your protection we are unable to deliver your FACT Act Equifax Free Annual Credit Report on the internet. There are a number of reasons that we may be unable to fulfill your request online. You may have a Security Freeze on your credit file, an Active Duty Military or Fraud Alert, or the identification information submitted online may not match the information on file. Please note that your credit card has not been charged
The following link will lead you to a form that is not screen-readable at this time. However, this form is not required to request your free Equifax credit report by mail. Please send your name, current address, former address, and social security number, along with any documents described below, to the following address: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For assistance by phone, please call us at 800-685-1111.

Terry

John asked:


My bank, Wachovia, sent me a letter saying they’ll let me view my credit report for free for 30 days but I’ll have to sign up with this Identity Theft Protection from a company called Trilegiant. They claim that I can cancel the service within 30 days so that I won’t be billed after the 30 days are up. Is this something I should try? I don’t think my bank would try to scam me.

Pearl

worrywort777 asked:


I really wonder specifically whether my bank with it’s protections (and fine print) has a better likelihood of preventing fraud or do the Experians of the world provide a quicker way of determining this>

Joy