Equifax hack
Olychick
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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morz8 - Washington Coast
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoOlychick thanked morz8 - Washington CoastRelated Discussions
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Comments (5)Angelaid, You refer to the broker's reference to " ... their accounts ...." Do you have any idea of the number? If it was several, it's likely a breaking of their codes. Do they have insurance against clients losing due to such events? In Canada there's a broker-funded insurance-type agency called CIPF (Canadian Investor Protection Fund) that covers such investors in case of such losses. Is this a full-service broker or a discount one? What methods have you used earlier to deal with your account - just through the broker, face to face or by phone? Done directly by you, whether via telephone or online? I haven't done investing online, as my computer is old and I suspect the presence of a trojan horse and possibly a virus or two - so I don't want any little spies peering over my shoulder when I am using privacy codes for banking or brokerage accounts. I think that I'd be asking that broker if s/he could give me some good reasons why I should not close my account. Usually there's a hefty charge to shift/transfer out ... but I'd think that the compromised broker should do it without fee, in this case. Do you have accounts with other brokers? Check with them, as well, regarding compromised accounts! Would you be interested in shifting your current accounts with the compromised broker to one or other of the others? Or how about a different one - possibly a discount broker, if you feel comfortable doing part of your trading based entirely on your own research ... and if not, why not? Haven't you learned enough about the markets that you could (soon come to) feel comfortable doing at least part of your investing on your own? Much lower cost commission fees (lower levels of service) when buying and selling. Log and document every action taken to investigate and protect your accounts. Good wishes for getting through this serious situation without too much time, hassle and high costs. ole joyful...See MoreMy Identity Stolen
Comments (46)I wanted to share a couple other ways your identy/money can be stolen. Both happened to me. By the way, I'm really sorry you've gone through this. It is so frustrating. It seems like the majority of id theft is from credit cards. This first one happened years ago, when this was a relatively new crime, but it wasn't credit. Someone took my name and driver's licence number and the account number of a closed checking account. Then they created a new account and went shopping, at Sears, Macy's, Home Depot, and Victoria's Secret. All in one day. They almost got cought at VS, which ended their shopping spree. I believe they got over $3,000 in merchandise. It was a NIGHTMARE trying to convince all the different agencies and stores that I wasnt the thief. I didn't lose any money, but my driver's license number is still flagged with telecheck. Sixteen years later. BTW, after I made contact with Macy's to explain the situation, Macy's started billing me for the $900 purchase. We had a pretty heated conversation about how they wouldn't even have my information if I hadn't called them to do the right thing. The other was just a couple years ago. I was going over my bank statement and saw a payment to a cell phone company that we don't use. I checked a few monthes prior and noticed I had been paying someone elses bills. Cell phone and the utility bills. The utility bill was easy to miss because I use the same company. It was the cell bill that tipped me off. Someone used the account and routing number off a check one of us wrote and was paying her bills online. Once I cought it, I called the bank PG&E, and Verizon and had everything taken care of. The utility companies went after her on their own, so I don't know the outcome. There was a name on the accounts, but I was told it was probably fake. So anyway, these are just a couple more areasto consider and keep an eye on. Also, Sears can be kinda shifty. I would still be a little suspicious of them. I would not put it past them to issue you an unsolicited credit card. On the off chance that you accept it. It doesn't make much sense for a credit thief to have the card sent to your house. Unless, they were watching your house hoping to intercept your mail...See MoreFreezing your file w/credit reporting agencies
Comments (21)And how about this to round out your day. Sigh. IMO...the info system is broken...exposing all citizens to risks far beyond what they ever envisioned when they innocently [for example] opened up an account with Sears to buy a new washer/dryer. Can we go back to a cash only way of life? As appealing as that may sound right about now...I doubt it's even a realistic possibility. We've all been too trusting of a system that, obviously, hasn't been well supervised and/or managed. It's time to get back to the nitty-gritty of scrupulously [and religiously] overseeing the management of our own affairs to the extent that we can. We need to take back ownership. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/20/business/sec-hacking-attack.html?hpw&rref=business&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well...See MoreCredit scores
Comments (30)I agree she couldn't be concerned with a slight variation, but credit scores and reports are important. I think it's interesting that you think it's a scam, arcy. With excellent credit you can get the best rates and the best credit cards with rewards. Credit isn't only for people who can't afford cash. We make thousands a year in free money by responsibly using our credit in our advantage via credit card rewards/cash back and low interest rates. The best credit card perks are reserved for those with good credit. Paying attention to credit reports is also important to catch identity theft as early as possible. It's a very real problem these days. We will probably be freezing our accounts soon to help prevent it....See MoreOlychick
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