Questions tagged [identity-theft]
The identity-theft tag has no usage guidance.
110 questions
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Are file attachments in email safe for transferring financial documents?
What kind of risks are involved sharing financial statements, tax returns, check stubs, and things like that over email?
I imagine if a financial institution receiving documents over some secure file ...
- 1,781
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0
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Are my ID and phone number being used without my consent?
So here is the issue. Since the beginning of january, I started noticing something odd with my phone. Basically, I usually pay credits to be able to call people. The problem is this : after a few days ...
15
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1
answer
7k
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Does a company have to have your login information to verify your identity?
A loan company said they needed my logins to my account and got a couple closed and also logged into my id.me and got it locked. Do they need my username and password? He said that he needed another ...
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1
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Scam: Opening Fraudulent Checking Accounts in Someone Else's Name
I've recently been the victim of identity theft, where someone has used my information (including my Social Security, somehow) to open up a handful of fraudulent checking accounts. I have already ...
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1
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I own and run a business. Today I received from NYS that I owe money on taxes for Unemployment Insurance that I received. I never filed it
Just saw the letter from NYS saying I owe 1000+ for claiming UI for 2021. I never claimed as I run my own business in NYC and file a Schedule C every year with my taxes. It says I need to pay it by ...
- 2,025
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1
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What information can the merchant see about you when you pay with Paypal?
Just paid a shady looking seller using Paypal thinking that Paypal could protect me. Bought a digital product, received, but rethought the whole thing and now I think I don’t trust the seller to not ...
- 269
2
votes
3
answers
806
views
I may have sent a lot of personal information to a scammer via email
Yes, I know. I'm an idiot. As a very young person who doesn't have much experience with anything, I almost fell into debt from a scammer. I didn't, but I gave them a lot of my personal information. I ...
- 21
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2
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3k
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How bad would a leaked tax return be?
If my entire tax return was somehow leaked, how bad would that be? What potentially harmful information is included other than my name and social security number?
- 1,417
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LLC set up at someone else's home - what's the scam?
This didn't happen to me, but this was posted on a local blog I follow and I was curious what the scam was.
Someone setup an LLC using my home address. It is a single-family home, and we have owned ...
- 780
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0
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170
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Identity theft issue: Fidelity showing another person’s profile on my 401k, Fidelity closed the request
My employer provides 401k and I opened a 401k with Fidelity in September. I have been contributing to the 401k since. Recently, I logged into my account and my user profile on Fidelity is showing a ...
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Should I be worried if my EIN application form and EIN are publicly available online?
Some time ago, I sent a Form SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number) to the IRS, and later received a reply from the IRS containing the EIN. Recently, I discovered that the Form SS-4 I ...
- 17.2k
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2
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343
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Am i being used for bank fraud [duplicate]
I have been speaking to a girl in Nigeria she promised to visit me but but twice didn't show up said she loved me although never met. Asked for money multiple times asked for bank details and says she ...
49
votes
5
answers
12k
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Why do banks seem to be indifferent about identity theft?
Several years ago, I was in a terrible relationship in which my girlfriend fraudulently opened a credit card in my name. I forget the specifics, but she ended up transferring the full cash advance on ...
- 607
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2
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2k
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Is this a 'trust fund scam'?
A week ago i received an email from an old lady (i actually submitted an ad on a site to find penpals), it seemed okay at first, she said that she had no children or relatives, and her husband was ...
- 21
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3
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Checking to see if someone else is using my EIN
A disgruntled former employee has our business EIN. How can I check to see if any accounts have been opened using our number?
- 21
7
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2
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2k
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What do i do about a loan check, received in the mail, being cashed by someone other than myself?
I don't know how to resolve this with my name upheld and all monies intact. I recently was approved for a small personal loan. This is the first time I've ever gotten a loan.
I received a check for $...
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5
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1
answer
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Identity Theft: Counterfeit Checks but no Traceable Bank Account
I've been dealing with an ongoing identity theft problem for the past 4 months. Back in March, somebody stole my wallet at a restaurant and it was returned to me by the staff completely empty. All I ...
0
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1
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1k
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Somebody I haven't met wants me to open a bank account without having money, but won't tell me why. Is this a scam? [closed]
I've already bought her gift cards and sent the information online.
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21
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9
answers
7k
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What can someone do with a stolen wallet for a few seconds?
I was recently in the gym and left my keys, phone and wallet together on top of my jumper. I took my eyes off of them for maybe 5 seconds, which I now know is too long, whilst I went and got some more ...
- 1,668
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2
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328
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how can I see what money is coming in in my name
I think that I someone is pretending to be me an is collecting money that should go to me ( disability insurance claims game winnings etc.) but none of these things are reported due to lack of proof ...
-4
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2
answers
192
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So what if I lose my SSN?
Let's say my social security number is "stolen", but I never need to take out new debt and don't use my credit score, have no intention of collecting social security as part of my retirement plan, and ...
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1
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I called and verified my identification but the gentleman never gave me a IP PIN so I can't file without it. Can't use the online tool to get it
Can someone help me out here. I called and verified my identification but the gentleman never gave me a IP PIN so I can't file without it. He said my return for 2018 should come in May but I still ...
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11
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4
answers
8k
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How can I protect myself from a scammer who has my information?
I was scammed by someone who had stolen another sugar daddy’s identity and pretended to be him and offered to spoil me.
Long story short, they were able to have my name, school ID, phone number, ...
- 159
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0
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Life insurance documents sent to wrong e-mail address. What are my options?
Some time ago I applied for life insurance online, and to my utmost incredulity (it never happened since I started using the Internet) apparently I misspelled my own e-mail address.
A host of ...
user94207
2
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2
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149
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Credit bureau - Credit freeze vs Fraud Alert
I suspect my passport information along with other personal information was leaked on a website. I have already setup Credit Freeze, would Fraud Alert be also necessary? What are the benefits and ...
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1
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164
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Domestic US wire - do they get my account details
If I send a domestic US wire from my bank to another US bank, does the person on the other end get my account number details?
I understand that the receiving bank may get my account number details. ...
- 31
0
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2
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103
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paperwork application to open new financial accounts - identity theft security risk?
I opened a bank account and a brokerage account using traditional paperwork forms I was provided with at the financial institution where I opened these accounts.
That got me a bit worried as the ...
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1
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495
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What do I do if someone forges my check
Someone recently forged my signature and used that to withdraw money from my account.
I already called the bank (Chase) and they put a restriction on that account and open a new account for me. They ...
- 31
23
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4
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7k
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Do businesses save their customers' credit card information until the payment is finalized?
Paying by credit card is sometimes a multi-step process. In some of those cases, only the initial authorization is made at the point of sale; the finalized transactions are usually entered as a batch ...
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2
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Equifax class action settlement—opt-in or opt-out?
I'm trying to figure out whether it's better to include or exclude oneself from the Equifax class action settlement. I've been torn on the issue, for reasons I'll explain below.
Note to readers: ...
- 3,385
2
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1
answer
194
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Equifax data breach and correct credit monitoring service for $125
for the Equifax Data Breach , there is $125 being paid for people affected , previously one only needed to choose and the cash portion or the credit monitoring by Equifax. As most of the people has ...
- 3,502
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I accidentally gave out my name, home address, email address, phone number, and my DOB [duplicate]
Will anything go wrong??? I'm so scared...
I can't even sleep anymore..
It was a phone call telling me about some kind of benefit
I gave out my name, address, phone number, DOB, and email address and ...
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1
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Strange withdrawal from checking account
I got a notice that there was an ACH withdrawal yesterday from my checking account of $225.38 by OPENSKY PHONE PMT. I'd never heard of OpenSky before and I'm not sure what a "phone pmt" is. I called ...
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5
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My credit card was unexpectedly charged 1$, the merchant wants my SSN and personal data to tell me why, do I risk identity theft?
I received a phone message from my credit union's fraud detection department about a transaction for $1 that raised a flag. I called them back and was given the information recorded with the ...
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1
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Are there negative consequences to having multiple credit monitoring services?
I already have one credit monitoring service that I am not paying for due to a security breach somewhere many years ago. I am not 100% sure but I think it expires/ends in a few years.
My data was ...
- 111
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3
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Why are free credit reports available only once per year?
Consumers have access to a free annual credit report from each of Equifax, Transunion, and Experian thanks to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act passed in 2003. However, this may be too ...
37
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19
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33k
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How to safely destroy (a large quantity of) valid checks?
A while ago I had my bank issue me new checks due to a change of name (I got married). However I still have many hundreds of checks with the out of date info (they're an online bank and issue about ...
- 1,886
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2
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372
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How to monitor for identity theft of minor child
It's important to monitor your own credit for signs of identity theft and for errors, because recovery can be time consuming and expensive. What steps should parents take to monitor their minor ...
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1
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Vehicle has been broken into. Missing registration, insurance cards
My parents are currently out of town and they have left their vehicle parked on my block. We just discovered that the vehicle has been broken into. Aside from a few personal items, thieves have also ...
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2
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368
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Credit Freeze for Minor Child
I was told that identity theft of a minor's credit is a very sought after goal for thieves. Is it true that credit agencies will offer lines of credit to individuals who are not yet 18? Is there any ...
- 1,781
19
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4
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7k
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If I have given my bank details to someone by email what should I do now? [duplicate]
I have given someone my bank account details including my home address and phone number by email, supposedly so that money can be transferred into my account.
I am now quite sure this is a scam.
...
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3
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1k
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Checks stolen and rewritten, how?
This situation happened with my grandmother a few days ago. Even though older people are forgetful I do not believe my grandmother has misremembered this situation or confused herself.
She wrote a $...
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Stolen Check honored by bank (maybe after being cancelled). What should I do?
My daughter's checkbook was stolen last Saturday, she reported it to the bank Monday morning 10am and told them to cancel all the checks. She told the police earlier. We're in the USA.
Her account ...
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1
answer
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Free Credit Report -- Checking for identity theft
I'm about to request my free annual credit report. I've never requested one before, but I noticed something suspicious with my FICO score lately in my Discover Card app and want to look into my credit ...
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0
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Photocopies of vital records
How concerned should I be about private companies maintaining photocopies of vital records like birth certificates and social security cards?
While he is not applying for subsidized housing, my son ...
- 235
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1
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315
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Credit card cloned and money taken (UK)
My mum recently learned she had been charged for a use of her card to pay £28 at a pub in Nottinghamshire. Since she has never been to Nottinghamshire, it must have been her card details were stolen. ...
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2
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4k
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Please help: Is it safe to give this personal and banking information to someone? [closed]
Is it safe to give this information to someone?
Name of Account Holder:
Name of Bank:
Bank Account Number:
Address of the Bank Branch:
Bank Swift Code:
Phone Number of ...
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30
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7
answers
19k
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Private Bank requesting user name and password to verify identity before sending money to acct
I have been asked to provide my user name and password, so my fiance' can have his bank, Macoto, verify my identity, before they will send the funds. Does this sound right? I figure if he gives the ok,...
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0
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Gave my full name, age, office address and mobile number to a probable scammer [duplicate]
What's the worst that can happen if I have given my name, office address, age and mobile number to a person who was most probably a scammer?
I'm still not sure, it was scam, because emails were very ...
- 11
0
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1
answer
281
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What's the likelihood of identity theft? Why doesn't it happen more often?
The recent Equifax breach causes me to think about how easy identity theft seems to be.
A lot of my information is already (semi-)public:
Name
Date of birth (friends know, also available on Facebook ...
- 681