POOKIES has had some trouble...

colomtnflyer

colomtnflyer

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iAM in AK!
I just got off the phone with Danielle (POOKIES), and she had some terrible news to relate.

A few days ago, the apartment that she and her sister share was broken into, and several things stolen, including her laptop computer. This is why she has been conspicuously absent the past few days.

Also stolen was Danille's SS Card, check book, wallet (with cash and credit cards in it), her sister's birth certificate and SS Card, as well as some jewelry and other items.

All of this was done within about a 45 minute period, just after Danielle had left for work, and then returned shortly after to grab her water bottle.

Danielle has already cancelled all of the CC's, and informed her bank of the stolen checkbook. The tougher part is the SS Cards, especially that of her sister since it was with her birth certificate. With those two items, it is possible to create an entirely new identity. This could obviously create some very difficult situations for her sister in the future...

Does anybody have any ideas as to whether the IRS or any other govt entity can flag a particular SS number, to see if it is being illegally used by someone else? Or to prevent the SSN from being used to create new accounts?

She informed me that she and her sister were already looking to relocate to a different part of town, where such crime is less prevalent.

Having once been the victim of a burglary, I understand her anger and the feeling of having been violated. Almost every time you walk in the door, you expect to find that it had happened again!

So, it may be a little bit before we see Danielle back on POA on a regular basis. Apparently the renters insurance is resisting their claims of lost items, based upon a lack of purchase receipts. Luckily, her computer was paid by CC, so there is a record of that. But everything else is going to be a fight of proving to the insurance co that the items did exist and were valued appropriately.

My thoughts and best wishes go out to Danielle and her sister in this tough time.
 
This is the worst feeling in the world, I've been burglarized before. I am pretty sure she can notify the credit bureaus and they can lock down her credit reports at least to avoid negative impact there. Beyond that, I don't know.
 
colomtnflyer said:
...
Danielle has already cancelled all of the CC's, and informed her bank of the stolen checkbook. The tougher part is the SS Cards, especially that of her sister since it was with her birth certificate. With those two items, it is possible to create an entirely new identity. This could obviously create some very difficult situations for her sister in the future...

Does anybody have any ideas as to whether the IRS or any other govt entity can flag a particular SS number, to see if it is being illegally used by someone else? Or to prevent the SSN from being used to create new accounts?....
Click to expand...

She needs to notify the three credit bureaus, better, put a lock on her credit. The notice should be no new accounts without contacting her personally at her phone number. The bureaus can charge for the credit lock.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Banking/Yourcreditrating/P130403.asp
 
Ric, thanks for relaying this, and I'm very sorry to hear that this happened to her. Please send my best wishes when you speak with her next, and I hope that they can get this resolved. It sounds like a rough road ahead...
 
How can we get in touch with Pooks? Anybody have a phone number? (feel free to ask her if I can call)

Joe
 
I know that several people do have her phone number, but I do not feel comfortable just posting it. I will relay your request, Joe, and if she asks me to, I will PM the number to you.
 
colomtnflyer said:
I know that several people do have her phone number, but I do not feel comfortable just posting it. I will relay your request, Joe, and if she asks me to, I will PM the number to you.
Click to expand...
Exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks!

Joe
 
Ric I'd like to have the phone number also,if she says its OK. And tell her I MISS HER on the chatroom.
Dave G
 
Ric, pass along my thoughts. I hope she gets this wrapped up soon and there's no damage to their credit.

If they haven't filed a police report, they need to. Then, carry a copy of that police report forever after on their person. Should the perpetrators attempt to pass themselves off and fraudulently credit, there could be criminal charges and police could initially attach Danielle or her sister's name to the complaint. Record of their police report can save a lot of potential headaches.
 
Also, the credit bureaus may require a police report to put on the highest level of credit locks - where the file is frozen and any inquiries generate alerts.
 
Good advice given on contacting the Credit bureaus. There is a national company that will gurantee that your Identity won't be stolen if you use their system. Their gimmick is that thier president gives his name and SS# out on the radio. I'm sure you can find it on google.

This was a job by someone who knew what they were doing and I bet had been in the Apt before. This really Stinks please experss my thoughts to Danielle.
 
Ric, please pass along my regards and let her know my concern. If there is anything she needs just let me know.
 
Thank God she did not come back while they were still there, that was close!

re: proving to the insurance company...everyone who has a camera (all of us) should go around their property, snapping pictures and save them to media which they keep off-site.
A narrated video would be better "this is a model 1234, sn 5678 laptop I paid 1000 for in 2006"
 
I hope Danielle gets everything straightened out soon. ID thieves are scum, and sadly even locking down her credit file, she may get calls regularly since these thieves usually do their dirty work then sell off or give away the information to try to push any tracking by law enforcement onto someone else.
 
I'm sorry to hear this. Having been a victim also, I know the feeling. In my case, I lost several pieces of jewelry that had been my father's and brother's. Inexpensive stuff but MY memories. That person didn't need them.

There are things she (and indeed all of us) can do if she is concerned about identity theft. First and foremost, get a credit report. EVERYONE can get a free report from each of the big three BY LAW once a year. Each of the big three offer services for a price, and some credit cards are offering them as a package deal.

For the free report, go to annualcreditreport.com Unless you've recently reviewed a credit report, you'll be surprised at what is on it. To watch your credit, fetch a report from one of the companies every 4 months. That's three a year. You can also put a "CREDIT FREEZE" (a google search keyword) on your report with all three. In this case, your rights vary by state and it may cost you a small fee if you do not have a police report showing identity theft.
 
Somebody give her this information:

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm

She needs to contact the SSA and the FTC Identity theft units and fill out a report. Her states AG office may also have an ID theft unit (we do here, but I don't know about Louisiana). I feel for her, I know it's awful feeling to come home and find it burglarized.
 
silver-eagle said:
I'm sorry to hear this. Having been a victim also, I know the feeling. In my case, I lost several pieces of jewelry that had been my father's and brother's. Inexpensive stuff but MY memories. That person didn't need them.

There are things she (and indeed all of us) can do if she is concerned about identity theft. First and foremost, get a credit report. EVERYONE can get a free report from each of the big three BY LAW once a year. Each of the big three offer services for a price, and some credit cards are offering them as a package deal.

For the free report, go to annualcreditreport.com Unless you've recently reviewed a credit report, you'll be surprised at what is on it. To watch your credit, fetch a report from one of the companies every 4 months. That's three a year. You can also put a "CREDIT FREEZE" (a google search keyword) on your report with all three. In this case, your rights vary by state and it may cost you a small fee if you do not have a police report showing identity theft.
Click to expand...

I pay about 9$/mo for MyFICO to watch my score and alert me of any changes. It's nice for me because I'm trying to rebuild my credit, but it could also help to notice anyone trying to get new credit on my identity.
 
I hope there isn't a lot of personel info on the lap top.

when they break in they take more than your stuff.

we were broken into late at night with us in the house, the dog scared them away, but the cops caught them 3 blocks away. we got all our stuff back, but things have never been the same after that.
 
State & US AGs offices both have offices directed specifically at this, SS admin, Credit Reporting Agencies, yuk, what a freakin mess. Give Dannielle my best.:(
 
Please give Danielle my best, and hopes that she gets it straightened out quickly.

Make sure she & her sister get a fraud alert on their credit bureau reports. There are three of them, and you've got to contact each separately. And keep every scrap of correspondance FOREVER on this.

I had my identity stolen by the front desk clerk at a hotel in New York (4-star). The crooks not only ran up $30,000 on a fake AmEx card in my name (AmEx ate that), but they also set up accounts with the telephone company and another utility. I found out about the telco issue (then Bell Atlantic, now Verizon) when contacted 12 months later by a collection agency. I went through hell getting that cleared up (including a letter to the State's Attorney), and thought it was gone.

About 8 years later, I got a couple of menacing letters and calls about the same debt - apparently the first collection agency sold it to another and removed the flags about the debt being a fraud. I got the second agency to go away by sending a copy of the "this case is closed" letter from the first, with a copy to the Illinois Attorney General.

I now carry fraud alerts on all my credit bureaus, and run a credit monitoring service.
 
wsuffa said:
Please give Danielle my best, and hopes that she gets it straightened out quickly.....

The crooks not only ran up $30,000 on a fake AmEx card in my name (AmEx ate that),
Click to expand...
Yes, my condolences to Danielle... be diligent in this and ultimately it will go away. Bill, most likely Amex pushed the charges back to the vendors and they are the ones who had to eat it. :(

-Skip
 
Equifax allows consumers to set an initial 90 day fraud alert on their report by going here:

https://www.alerts.equifax.com/

Furthermore, Equifax will pass your request onto the other two reporting agencies so you don't have to.
 
A little identity theft prevention

Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration's line for those who have become victims of identity theft should call the FTC (toll free) at 1-877-438-4338 or contact the FTC through its website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.
Do not include your phone number or Social Security number on checks.
List a PO box number instead of your home on checks.
Do not write the entire credit card account number on your check, only the last 4 digits.
 
My daughter just had an occurance earlier this week when someone
grabbed her purse in a rest room at school. She didn't think there
was anything in it with her SS #. But the other losses were high for
a kid working part time and going to college.

Loss so far:

$300 Coach purse that her mother just gave her for Christmas
$267 for a new cell phone
$40 to get a new drivers license
$1200 to have the security system in her car changed
Had to cancel her credit card and get a new one issued
Had to cancel her bank account since her checks and debit card were stolen.
They're going to have to have their house rekeyed. (hopefully they did that)

The world is just full of slime balls.

RT
 
Thanks for all the support you guys! :) I have already done the things already mentioned. The only thing that I am leery about, is that they only put a alert on my credit for 90 days. I already have a credit montoring membership through my credit card. They were a big help in getting the phone numbers to cancel all my credit cards that were stolen. Without that I would have been lost. My laptop that was stolen didnt really have any personal information on it. I have already changed the passwords to the sites I usually go to (ie, here, my emails and sites like this).

What I more afraid of is for my sister. I am very worried about how anyone can probably get an Id with her name and info. She too has taken the proper steps in protecting herself, but I feel it isn't good enough.

The insurance company is making this difficult as possible for her. She doesnt have any reciepts for any of the stuff that was stolen, with exception of the laptop. They don't want to reimburse her for that because the reciept was in my name. So it feels like we got robbed twice! :mad:
 
RogerT said:
My daughter just had an occurance earlier this week when someone
grabbed her purse in a rest room at school. She didn't think there
was anything in it with her SS #. But the other losses were high for
a kid working part time and going to college.

Loss so far:

$300 Coach purse that her mother just gave her for Christmas
$267 for a new cell phone
$40 to get a new drivers license
$1200 to have the security system in her car changed
Had to cancel her credit card and get a new one issued
Had to cancel her bank account since her checks and debit card were stolen.
They're going to have to have their house rekeyed. (hopefully they did that)

The world is just full of slime balls.

RT
Click to expand...
Yeah, that sucks. After we had our apartment broken into we made a point to have a monitored security system installed when we built our current house. That wouldn't help things like having a purse stolen, though.

Note that some cell companies will give a discount on a phone to replace a stolen one. They'll require a police report. I know Verizon does (did?) this.

Also, depending on how the purse was purchased the credit card company may reimburse that. Some have a buyers protection plan that actually covers theft within the first x months.
 
pookies said:
Thanks for all the support you guys! :) I have already done the things already mentioned. The only thing that I am leery about, is that they only put a alert on my credit for 90 days.
Click to expand...

The initial fraud alert is for 90 days, and you can renew that within 30 days of your alert going away. They have an extended alert if someone has actually tried to use your information, or a security freeze (Free to Louisiana residents who have been victims of ID theft) which will effectively lock down your credit report. Unlike an alert where they're supposed to call you but not actually required to, the freeze prohibits anyone from accessing your report without your express permission.
 
pookies said:
Thanks for all the support you guys! :) I have already done the things already mentioned. The only thing that I am leery about, is that they only put a alert on my credit for 90 days. I already have a credit montoring membership through my credit card. They were a big help in getting the phone numbers to cancel all my credit cards that were stolen. Without that I would have been lost. My laptop that was stolen didnt really have any personal information on it. I have already changed the passwords to the sites I usually go to (ie, here, my emails and sites like this).

What I more afraid of is for my sister. I am very worried about how anyone can probably get an Id with her name and info. She too has taken the proper steps in protecting herself, but I feel it isn't good enough.

The insurance company is making this difficult as possible for her. She doesnt have any reciepts for any of the stuff that was stolen, with exception of the laptop. They don't want to reimburse her for that because the reciept was in my name. So it feels like we got robbed twice! :mad:
Click to expand...

Danielle-

Again, my condolences.

The show is going Ok. We went out to a couple of places- the food is just Ok. We missed the parades and they are rained out tonight.:(

-->Jack
 
Let me make this point again. You ALL can get a credit freeze (or a security freeze) on your credit report. The law varies by state as to whether this is free or if you pay for it. There is also a charge to alter the freeze (for instance, if you are applying for credit). Please go to Consumers Union for more information.
As mentioned before, check your credit cards. They may offer fee based services which provide periodic credit reports, fraud protection, and identity theft protection. Your Homeowners/Renters coverage may offer id theft protection as well.
And don't forget that annual free credit report. You may be surprised at who is looking and why.
 
pookies said:
Thanks for all the support you guys! :) I have already done the things already mentioned. The only thing that I am leery about, is that they only put a alert on my credit for 90 days. I already have a credit montoring membership through my credit card. They were a big help in getting the phone numbers to cancel all my credit cards that were stolen. Without that I would have been lost. My laptop that was stolen didnt really have any personal information on it. I have already changed the passwords to the sites I usually go to (ie, here, my emails and sites like this).

What I more afraid of is for my sister. I am very worried about how anyone can probably get an Id with her name and info. She too has taken the proper steps in protecting herself, but I feel it isn't good enough.

The insurance company is making this difficult as possible for her. She doesnt have any reciepts for any of the stuff that was stolen, with exception of the laptop. They don't want to reimburse her for that because the reciept was in my name. So it feels like we got robbed twice! :mad:
Click to expand...

Pooks, here's a tip for your sister, next time she has a go around with the insurance adjuster, have her use this phrase exactly... "I believe you are dealing with me in BAD FAITH" That will start sirens blaring and red lights flashing at the office. Remember, exactly....
 
Henning said:
Pooks, here's a tip for your sister, next time she has a go around with the insurance adjuster, have her use this phrase exactly... "I believe you are dealing with me in BAD FAITH" That will start sirens blaring and red lights flashing at the office. Remember, exactly....
Click to expand...

And .. after you tell them that also tell them that you intend to file
a report with the state dept of insurance and tell them that the
insurance company is dealing with you in bad faith.
 
RogerT said:
And .. after you tell them that also tell them that you intend to file
a report with the state dept of insurance and tell them that the
insurance company is dealing with you in bad faith.
Click to expand...
Valid but not necessary, they don't fear the state, they fear you getting a lawyer and sueing, Punies are applicable to Bad Faith issues and are typically very large awards by juries.
 
We are looking to get a new apartment. Would a securty freeze prevent the manager from pulling up our credit? I read about it, but I wasn't clear on this.
 
I'm not certain if it would or not. One option, since the two of you have already pulled your report, is to provide the new landlord with a copy and an explanation. This should do the trick.

Good luck Danielle.
 
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