I have a potential issue. If there is anyone out there that has any first hand experience with either side of this issue....I would really appreciate the opportunity to discuss it via PM. My info was in the box of computer records just lost / stolen from CTI Financial. And Yea, it was in the clear info "they say"
well keep a close tab on anything that get's bought and anything you didn't buy close your account or whatever you have to do
it seem to be popular.... Same thing appened to me where my retirement money is... They stole the computers and they have all my info and thousands of others also. I can't help you much since I have no idea what to do either.
Nice try. The Sad I bought last week is on that visa. You couldn't squeeze a set of strings out of that card right now. Thanks guy's I'll be intouch PM as soon as I go down to the CTI branch office Monday morning, collect a little infomation and ruin the office managers day.
Thats what I'm thinking. If someone is going to party on my money...it might as well be me. Seriously though...what happens when someone applies for 25 small $5,000 credit cards in one day....get's ten of them....and goes shopping? Do I go from broke to 50k in the hole? If someone steals the card I have now, I'm liable for....$50 of it? If someone posing as me uses the card before it gets caught? I am so going to ruin someones day at CTI on monday. It'll be a good day to call in sick if you work there.
There was an email floating around at work which offered some very good advice for preventing identity theft. I'm a home now, but when I go back to work on Tues, I'll dig up the email and post it here.
Its actually a good idea to sign up for credit watch services. I get one for like $4 a month through my card company. Basically they monitor all the credit reporting agencies and tell me anytime an application for credit is made in my name.
Call EXPERIAN, TRW, and the other main credit reporting agency (can't think of it offhand) IMMEDIATELY and tell them what happened. They can put sort of a "hold" on your credit report, where before anyone approves any credit cards they have to specifically call you and verify. I think a new CC# from Citi would be in order also, call them see if they'll issue a new card, don't think they'd mind since they lost the card. You're not liable for the charges, not exactly. But they can mung up your credit rating, can be a bear to get them taken off once they do a "Girls gone Wild" on your credit report. DO IT NOW! Randy
So yeah, you could say I've had some experience with identity theft..... Got a lot of neat stuff, but be wary of people you meet in jail that want to be your friend. If you go to the prison prom, make ABSOLUTELY SURE you are NOT the one wearing the corsage. Randy