Leslie Kish | Director, Operations & Accreditation
In honor of Protect Your Identity Week last week, I asked our staff for personal stories about ID Theft. Some of these are stories reported by callers but most are the direct experience of BBB employees. Please share your id theft stories by commenting below.
ü Last January I purchased a top-of-the-line computer and some equipment to go with it for school. The bill came to a whopping $3,600! Not 10 minutes after I hit "place order" on the online form, my credit card company called to verify my purchase. They said electronics are the number one purchase made with a stolen credit card, so they wanted to make sure I still had the card in my possession. I had no idea my credit card company was looking out for me that way, but I was glad they were!
ü My husband paid for dinner at a restaurant with a credit card, the kid swiped it through the credit card machine and a number reader someone else gave him. He used the information on the number reader to make all kinds of purchases - electronics, vacations, etc. My credit card company caught the theft, removed all the charges from my account, and sent me a new card. It was scary, because it was soooo simple!
ü Someone who didn't shred her junk credit card offers and would just tear them up and pitch them. Someone got in her trash and found the pieces and taped the offers back together. The thief changed the address and mailed it in. The credit card company issued the card and mailed it to the new address!
ü I tried to use my debit card to buy breakfast and was surprised to find out it was declined. I called my bank right away and was told they placed a fraud alert on my card due to suspicious charges. Someone in Florida created their own copy of my debit card and purchased over $600 at Wal-Mart the night before. Of course, I disputed the charges and had my bank reissue a new debit card. It took a few days for all the money I had lost to return to my bank account. I also had to withdraw cash at the bank in person until my new debit card arrived.