Anyone see Dateline last night?

**PrairieRose** · 07-23-2007, 10:28 AM

On Identity theft?

Oh my goodness....that's frightening. Dave Ramsey's sight says that 1 in 12 people are currently a victim of identity theft. That's a lot! Gripey and I have pondered i.d. theft insurance before and even though it's not the most frugal of things to do I think it might be worth it in the long run. I hope we never need it but we're seriously thinking about enrolling in some. It's not terribly expensive, I think the type that Dave promotes is $140./yr. for a family (a household). Anyway just wondering if anyone else saw it and was as appalled as we were?

**Buckeye5** · 07-23-2007, 10:33 AM

No, I missed all tv last night, was snapping beans

**baxjul** · 07-23-2007, 11:12 AM

I didn't see it, but it sounds like it would have been interesting.

**nodmicks** · 07-23-2007, 11:48 AM

I saw some of it. It was shocking to say the least!

**Mom23boys** · 07-23-2007, 12:19 PM

I saw it and was amazed at how they were using "pawns" to help them. After watching the show, I really thought about getting identity theft protection too. It is scary knowing that hackers can hack into a business' credit files and obtain all your info and then start using your CC to purchase items for themselves.

**GMA21** · 07-23-2007, 01:17 PM

that's scary how easily they can get all that personal information.

**PrairieRose** · 07-23-2007, 01:46 PM

What I find the scariest is that they can actually get into your bank accounts and clear them out. Then, you're left with nothing for sometimes months at a time while you 'prove' that you didn't do it. Man that would stink big time.

**bumplett** · 07-23-2007, 03:16 PM

I missed this show - but I did see a commercial this morning for Equifax Idenitity Theft Insurance for $10 month - no contract/cancel anytime -

it's really very sad that we should even have to worry about things like this

**kksmom92** · 07-23-2007, 11:01 PM

I didn't see it either, but wish I would of.

**Dixie** · 07-23-2007, 11:59 PM

I saw it. Very interesting, but I couldn't believe how gullible some of the pawns were.

It's a subject close to my heart. Dh and I were victims of ID theft, back in January of this year. Thank God, I noticed it right away and the bank was very helpful. Our funds were frozen for about 10 days, while the bank investigated. It was a nightmare. I'm pretty sure a waitress at Ruby Tuesday's stole our PayPal account number, (which was linked to our bank account) since that's the card I used to pay for our meal. I also had to give the waitress my cell phone#, when I placed the order through their Curbsidetogo, service. A few days later, someone tried to hack my cell phone account, but was unsuccessful. I read the other day that most ID thefts occur in Bricks and Mortar stores, rather than online.
One lesson I learned, never use your primary bank account with PayPal.

**frugalnana** · 07-25-2007, 12:51 AM

I didn't see it but I was a person that had their identity stolen.
About six years ago I went to sign up for a cell phone and the person did a credit check and she stated I had to many accounts in default. She gave me a copy and I started calling the companies on the list. None of them were mine but a lady who lived two hours away had somehow gotten my social and started using it for kinds of things. It took a year to get it straightened out. The most scariest part was a friend of my Dh is a Sheriff and he stopped by to chat for a few minutes. We got around to my last name and he said wait a minute, he goes outside and then comes back in. He said there was a warrant for my arrest for unpaid parking tickets in the very same town this lady lived. I about fell over. He was really nice about it and gave me the name and number of the police department there and I had to send in a copy of my birth certificate and go to social security to have them to verify that my social has been mine since I was 13 years old.. I also had to have the BMV run a check on me and send that statement in stating I have never had a violation. It did get straightened out, but I am always cautious now with any information I give out.

Thats not all either. Some of you will remember last month that the state of ohio employee had some hardware stolen out of their car that had thousands of social security numbers on it. They stated it was only state employees. But that is a lie. My dh and son received letters last friday stating that their social security numbers were on it and gave a number for them to call.

So nothing is safe.