Sad story of what happened to and I (From: P. Golden)

[Guest guest]

If this is not enough to put me back in a flair I dont know what else

would!

Please read this hell we just went through (This is why I had to

chang my screen name):

PLEASE NEVER PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD ON THE COUMPUTER TO ORDER ANYTHING,

EVER! IT IS NOT SAFE NO MATTER HOW SAFE THEY TELL YOU IT IS, but they

(sites) lead us to believe it is safe which in fact after to talking

to my bank they informed me even if the site you buy from has that

little " Lock Symbol " at the bottom of the page, that dose not mean

anything especially if you have a " cable modem " the theives get your

computers IP address to steel credit card info. This last few weeks

have been hell for my husband and I!

Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both

sides of each license, credit card, etc., you will know what you had

in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to

call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.

Unfortunately I (the victim) have firsthand knowledge, because my

credit card number was stolen last month off the computer(I always

order things on the computer with my credit cards) and within a week

after sending my aunts and Mother in Law flowers from 1-800 Flowers

the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package,

applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a

Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving

record information online, and more.

But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this

happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises,

cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll

free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call.

Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report

immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to

credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an

investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to

do this) - Call the three national credit reporting organizations

immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never

heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an

application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.

The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your

information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to

authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2

weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are

records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases,

none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no

additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away

this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in

their tracks. "

BOTTOM LINE DO NOT TRUST THE INTRNET WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD AND NEVER

EVER USE A CREDIT/DEBIT CARD IF YOU HAVE TO! YOUR BANK ACCOUNT CAN BE

WIPED OUY IN ONE DAY!

Also my husband is still very angry with me and I know he will never

forgive me for this, but it was not my fault~I guess its the Irish in

him! I have been going out of my way 100 times a day to tell him it

was not my fault! I also pulled the cable modem out of the wall and I

am now only using AOL via my phone line.

The numbers are:

Equifax: 1-

Experian (formerly TRW): 1-

Trans Union: 1-

Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-

We pass along jokes; we pass along just about everything. Do think

about passing this information along. It could really help someone.

Also if you see something online you want to buy call them and do not

buy online, this can save you the hell we went through.

P

[Guest guest]

Oh :-(

How frustrating for you! Thank you for sharing the lessons you

learned....I've printed your email for the day when I might be in

your shoes.

Try not to blame yourself...computers are how we live these days, and

our personal information flies around the world at warp speed. I read

somewhere that this type of crime is exploding exponentially. I think

most organizations including banks, credit unions, government

entities, etc. transfer our data through electronic methods whether

we agree with it or not.

My son installed some sort of a firewall on our computer.....I don't

know if that will prevent someone from accessing our data, but I hope

it will. Maybe someone in the group can give us a lesson on

firewalls? Anyone??

Again, thanks for sharing and I hope you stay flare-free. Sending

hugs,

Connie H

> If this is not enough to put me back in a flair I dont know what

else

> would!

>

> Please read this hell we just went through (This is why I had to

> chang my screen name):

>

> PLEASE NEVER PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD ON THE COUMPUTER TO ORDER

ANYTHING,

> EVER!

[Guest guest]

Connie, the funny part about all of this, is that we indeed have a

Fire Wall a matter of fact the best on the market! due to my husbands

company info on our computer. See what happens with a fire wall is

that is prevents people from getting into your computer to steel

info, BUT when you are entering something (like a credit card) while

on line (on the internet) and have a cable modem set up that credit

card number can be seen by the thive if they have your IP address, so

that is how it happened in our case. I also lost my wallet but it was

turned in to days latter from the grocery store but nothing was

stolen and I also had money in it and it was all there so I thought

nothing of it and did not cancel anything because my bank said

everything was fine. Then days later I got a call from my bank with a

horror story of what happened to us but that was all from my

credit/debit card number being stoled off the internet after buying

flowers for family members! And the best part is the basterds (sorry

for the bad word) opened a line of credit with my name at MY BANK for

25,000.000 and spent it! and bought a gateway computer with my credit

card and got a drivers licence with my name and their picture. I am

so ill over all of this but I think all is fixed now and when they

find the guy I hope they hang him by his toes or I will!

-------------

My son installed some sort of a firewall on our computer.....I don't

know if that will prevent someone from accessing our data, but I hope

it will. Maybe someone in the group can give us a lesson on

firewalls? Anyone??

> > If this is not enough to put me back in a flair I dont know what

> else

> > would!

> >

> > Please read this hell we just went through (This is why I had to

> > chang my screen name):

> >

> > PLEASE NEVER PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD ON THE COUMPUTER TO ORDER

> ANYTHING,

> > EVER!

[Guest guest]

Yes, the first thing my husband did when we got a cable modem was to install

a firewall. In fact, one whole machine is dedicated to this. Maybe I can

get him to explain it...

And yes, if a theif gets hold of your debit card, your bank account is toast

and there is no fraud protection like American Express...

Kathleen (Tx)

Re: Sad story of what happened to and I

(From: P. Golden)

> Oh :-(

>

> How frustrating for you! Thank you for sharing the lessons you

> learned....I've printed your email for the day when I might be in

> your shoes.

>

> Try not to blame yourself...computers are how we live these days, and

> our personal information flies around the world at warp speed. I read

> somewhere that this type of crime is exploding exponentially. I think

> most organizations including banks, credit unions, government

> entities, etc. transfer our data through electronic methods whether

> we agree with it or not.

>

> My son installed some sort of a firewall on our computer.....I don't

> know if that will prevent someone from accessing our data, but I hope

> it will. Maybe someone in the group can give us a lesson on

> firewalls? Anyone??

>

> Again, thanks for sharing and I hope you stay flare-free. Sending

> hugs,

>

> Connie H

>

>

>

>

> > If this is not enough to put me back in a flair I dont know what

> else

> > would!

> >

> > Please read this hell we just went through (This is why I had to

> > chang my screen name):

> >

> > PLEASE NEVER PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD ON THE COUMPUTER TO ORDER

> ANYTHING,

> > EVER!

>

>

>

> DISCLAIMER!!

> WE ARE NOT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, THEREFORE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS

RECEIVED HERE IS FROM EXPERIENCE ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR

BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING THAT IS SUGGESTED. WE ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR

PHYSICIAN AND ARE NOT TRYING TO BE. REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND

TREATMENT MAYBE DIFFERENT FOR MANY OF US. THANK YOU

>

>