JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

Do you fear someone getting your personal information and obtaining credit in your name whether it be a credit card or purchase? Probably the best way to prevent that is to put on a freeze with all three credit bureaus. It is simple to do and the freeze can be lifted anytime for any specified period. It can all be done online. The credit bureau will issue to you a PIN that you must use to lift the freeze. I recently applied for a Chase credit card and was told by them which one of the three credit bureaus I must lift the freeze . I lifted the freeze for a couple days then called Chase to notify them. While still on the phone with them I was approved. After a couple days I checked to see if the freeze had been put back on and it had. This certainly gives me peace of mind so wanted to pass this on for those who were not aware of it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Given my history with technology, I fear I'd be arrested for imitating myself if I did that. I'll leave well enough alone and hope for the best. "Don't poke the bear." One way to avoid identity theft is to keep all your credit cards at or near their limit. 🤣

For the same reason, I would never mess around with the Windows Registry.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I keep mine frozen as well after Chase granted two instant 2k$ limit store cards (at the stores), which were immediately maxed, to someone who had my SSN (likely from the Equifax data breach). The bizarre thing which shows how sloppy creditors are, is that the address given didn’t come close to matching mine - they relied on the name and SSN matching. The key is your SSN, which once leaked is loose in the “dark web” and can’t be changed.

CindyHouk Loc: Nw MT

My ex and his then wife..used my ssn to secure a loan then never paid it back. I found out when I went to apply for a vehicle loan because it was on my credit. Filed a police report and was able to get it taken off my credit. But since the ex and his then wife were then divorced...it was a he did it - she did it thing, the place they got the loan from was had since closed...so the police couldn't prove who did it...so nothing happened to them. At least they knew they got caught!

I have had a freeze on my credit since.

clemente21

I have a freeze in all credit agencies as well, after I started to receive notices of stores regarding credit. The first one was a notice from Bloomingdales denying credit for wrong personal information. The others were a credit card from Victoria Secret and a bill for $1,000 from a store named Express. Took me by surprise because I've never been in these places.

Turns out that Express gave whomever stole my credit that amount using my name and SSN. They maxed out that store credit the same day. However, Bloomingdales also wanted my birth date, which they guess wrong.

Upon filing the police report the cop told me his ID was stolen as well. He learned his identity was stolen when a tow truck came to his house to confiscate a car he never bought and never had. He apparently owed $80,000.

Since then, I never give my SSN anywhere unless required by law. The doctor’s office does not need it. If my birth date is required I give the same fake one, again unless necessary.

Everyone should guard their credit with a freeze. You don’t want to be in the hook for a 2nd mortgage or a medical expense you never asked for (medical records can be stolen too). If you need credit, it is easy to lift temporarily. In my case, the investigation concluded it was not me who made the purchase and did not have to pay the $1,000. Still, it was about three months of writing, calling, filing reports and explaining while I cleared the situation.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

My assumption is many reading this post will not take the necessary steps to put on a freeze. They may regret it later but I sincerely hope not because I've heard getting everthing straightened out after a breach is rather daunting. As I age I put a higher value on peace of mind whether it be protecting myself from financial or bodily harm.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

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NDMarks Loc: Dublin, Ca

Another scam everyone needs to be aware of. I also have the credit freeze but recently I saw a very small purchase on my account from a place 400 miles away and I have never been to. Many people don't look at their account that close or they would ignore a "mistake" for such a small amount. Trouble is scamsters do this to see if the purchase goes through. If it does, the purchases get bigger and bigger. Don't ignore any charges to your account that You are not sure about. In my case, the bank reversed the charge and closed that account.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

It's not as difficult as learning the menu of a new camera.

NDMarks Loc: Dublin, Ca

As far as leaving well enough alone, I hate to say it but that's just the attitude that scammers look for and prey on. There are many people that hoped for the best that lost so much. As far as not knowing technology, you don't need to know much. There are phone numbers you can call to freeze your credit files and there are lots of people on this list as well as others more than glad to help you. A credit freeze is a win for you and not much of a negative. It will take away the ability of a scammer from opening accounts in your name. Remember, your information (at least much of it) is readily available to scammers but if they can't check your credit it makes it much more difficult to scam you.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Absolutely. You don’t need to call all 3 to place a fraud alert on your credit file. Just call any one of the three credit reporting agencies (Experion, Equifax or Transunion) and place a fraud alert or freeze on one, and they will notify the other two. I’ve had both credit card accounts opened in my name and a scam ACH transfer from my checking account, so here are my rules:

1. I keep a freeze on credit bureau files. You can lift it temporarily with a phone call if you need to apply for credit.
2. I never give my SSN or checking account number to anyone unless absolutely necessary for business purposes
3. i Never write paper checks anymore
4. I check my credit card and bank statements frequently.
5. And of course, I use safe computing practices. I don’t open emails or attachments from unknown sources and check the details of the sender’s email if there is any doubt. Same caution with texts.
6. I never provide any personal information or account numbers (and especially passwords) to anyone who calls me.
7. i never do any transactions which involves CC or banking info when using public WiFi and make sure my home WiFi is using strong encryption. I keep the beacon turned off as well.
8. I could go on and on about passwords…

It’s a shame the world has come to this, but unfortunately, that’s the world we live in.

NDMarks Loc: Dublin, Ca

As TriX says in his great reply, the world today is a strange place. The internet has done many great things but has also brought on some negatives. However, we can fight back by observing certain basic rules, as TriX states. The main thing is to be aware of the potential problems and fight back. DON'T BECOME A VICTIM!!!. Remember one basic rule told to me by a police officer about home burglaries - make it difficult for the bad guys and they will find easier prey.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

I lifted the freeze temporarily using my tablet without the need for making a phone call.