Identity Theft (article) by The Bear Paw on AuthorsDen

What you don't know WILL hurt you! The only thing I've known is to work hard in my life. Whether it was raising my kids, mending relationships, or working my job, I always worked hard. One reason is because I like work. The other reason, which most people identify with, is having to make ends meet, which is what my life has always been....making ends meet. But it was okay. I never desired the riches of the "rich and famous", nor have I thought of money as an evil thing. All I ever wanted was enough to make my life rewarding and comfortable. While living the daily grind, we are brainwashed with the false information that our Social Security number is a protected number, that no one else but you can use it. I've never heard of a person using someone else's SSN except with illegals who come here and use old numbers of people that had died long ago. But YOUR SSN is not as protected as "they" claim it is, and it is not protected by anyone, but YOU! There is no one out there in the administration; SSN, Federal Trade Commission, Police Department, Bankruptcy Court, Lawyers, Credit Bureaus, Creditors, jobs, etc...NOONE that will protect it, but you. I learned this the hard way. And it was too late after the fact I learned that it had happened. I didn't know the storm was coming until the tidal wave hit my life, and I've been underwater ever since. Someone who used to be my boss had taken my credit for a ride. He had taken several credit cards in my name, with very large credit limits, and maxed them out; he had gotten a cell phone from the same company as mine and left a large unpaid balance in my name; he somehow got most of my mail rerouted, and gained access to my home phone number where he made very large bills; some of my personal bills, like my car payment, he messed up about 4 months of payments which the bank didn't receive. I had to pay $1200 to get my car out of repo, the same day I come home from surgery! How much money are we talking about here that he ruined me with? Over $25,000! How much time did this take for him to do this? In less than 3 months! The police department wouldn�t help. Yes they took my report, but said that it was too little of money for them to do anything. They only go after the ones that are in the hundreds of thousands! They told me it was my fault! Their reason? Because I allowed a friend into my house. And yes, I had gotten bad information when I filed bankruptcy upon my attorney�s recommendation to �fix� this. But does that change the fact that someone was using my SSN? After two years, I am still wondering how this happened. Not so much WHY he did this. Anyone who would do this to another person, friend or foe, is scum. I question HOW? Even with �tightened� national security, it still happens. When I went to get my drivers license transferred to this state, you wouldn�t believe the hassle, because of security, because my last name is actually two words, because the name had to match the one on my SSN, and they wouldn�t give it to me until they matched!!!! It took 4 months to finally get my drivers license transferred. So why is it so hard to have the protection against Identity Theft? Why is it the fastest growing crime in America? They blame the use of computers now that makes it so easy. I do believe it does, but not to the extent they claim. We�re talking about security here, protection that we should not only be informed about, but should be freely given us in this so-called free country. Well, through all of this, I�ve learned a few things. Things like, -Don�t think that your credit is your credit or that it�s being protected. -Don�t ignore the fact that Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime and can happen to you. I had no enemies, until he found me. -Don�t believe that you can�t have access to the Credit Bureaus for a free credit report. You can, and they will. -Don�t think that hiding your SSN will keep your credit safe or protected. -Don�t think that everything on your credit report is accurate. A lot of it is NOT, even if Identity Theft has never happened to you. -Don�t stop trusting people after someone has made you a victim of Identity Theft. I receded into a very black hole of not trusting or liking anyone. I know it�s hard to trust again, but people will help if you only reach out and ask for it. They don�t know what you don�t tell them. Just like I didn�t know anything about credit or Identity Theft until after it happened! What a way to learn, huh? -Don�t let Identity Theft be the cause of losing your job, car, home, etc. It only ruined my life because I had no idea what was happening; I was not informed! -Don�t think that your credit, after being ruined by Identity Theft, is something that is easily corrected. It is not short term. -Don�t get a different SSN! The Identity Theft Resource Center says that by doing that cause even more problems. -Don�t think that Identity Theft only affects your credit. It affects your entire life! For me, I was almost killed several times because the �scum� who did this knew that I knew it was him. He tried to run me off the road several times; he had me followed to and from work; he had people waiting for me after dark in the parking lot at work (one man who I worked with fought three of them off at one time, ending up with a gash down one side of his face and his work clothes shredded!). And I will mention the harassing hang-up phone calls! If someone can resort to stealing your identity, they WILL resort to other tactics! As I�m sitting here typing this, the sun is shining and the birds are singing right outside my window. The same as the day I learned that my life was stolen from me through Identity Theft. It�s just a reminder to me, I guess, that not everything is as it seems. I hate that thought now, because I have had to live like an island, taking nothing at face value. I�ve had to learn how to feel, sense people first before accepting them. I had to learn how to be afraid, always wondering if the next stranger to talk to me is really out to get me, or worse, hired by the scum to follow through with his scare tactics. Oh, how I want the sun, and the song. I long for it! I need it! Maybe it�s a sign!? You know�the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel? I just hope it isn't another train coming down the track. Here are some links that will help you before, during and/or after Identity Theft. Please get informed! www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ -The US government's central website for information about identity theft. www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm -Articles and related links on what to do if you are a victim of identity theft. Especially if you personally know the Identity thief. www.idtheftcenter.org/ -Identity Theft Resource Center \| A Nonprofit Organization www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html - What Are Identity Theft And Identity Fraud? www.identitytheft.org/ -Identity Theft Prevention and Survival www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm -Federal Trade Commission www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ -Social Security Administration Equifax: P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348. Report fraud: Call (800) 525-6285 and write to address above. Order credit report: (800) 685-1111. Web: http://www.equifax.com Experian (formerly TRW): PO Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013. Report fraud: Call (888) EXPERIAN (888-397-3742) and write to address above. Fax: (800) 301-7196. Order credit report: (888) EXPERIAN. Web: http://www.experian.com Trans Union: PO Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834. Report fraud: (800) 680-7289 and write to address above. Order credit report: (800) 888-4213. Web: http://www.transunion.com Opt-out: To lower your risk of identity theft, and also avoid a whole lot of junk mail (your share of 5 billion credit card solicitations a year), why not just say no? Opt out of pre-approved offers of credit for all four bureaus (the Big Three plus one we are trying to find out more about, Innovus) with one phone call to (888) 5 OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). NOTE: You want to PRESS OPTION 3--Permanent Opt-out. Be patient. Because of the meddling of the direct marketing industry, your first choice is mediocre: Option 1 "Opt-out for two-years." After two years, the cards and letters will start coming again. For permanent opt-out status, the better deal, listen patiently and carefully for Option 3. It's a better choice. We're trying to get the FTC to make the credit bureaus to stop asking for your SSN when you exercise your opt-out rights. The FTC hasn't acted. Remember, you are entitled to a free credit report if you think you may be a victim of identity theft, if you have recently been denied credit (or other benefits based on a report), if you receive welfare benefits, or if you are unemployed. Source: PIRG Consumer Home Page http://www.pirg.org/consumer/credit/

f