My identity fraud rant!

LucyK! · 17 Aug 2007, 11:52

Title says it all really!

Living in the rather sad day and age that we do in regards to theft, identy fraud, terrorism etc I've been comforted recently knowing that companies really are going out of their way to ensure that our personal details remain confidential and only accessible to those necessary...

This week my Ebay account was hacked, I rarely use my account anyway but my concern was that in the 10+ emails I got due to someone else having access to the account, my full name was included, and I'm not happy about some idiot knowing that! I reported the problem to Ebay who have been brilliant. My account was suspended and reactivated, all passwords have been changed, and I received a rather strict email instructing me on how to protect myself from this happening in future

A few months back I wanted some books from our local library where my membership card had expired and I needed a new one. Despite having my full UK driver's license on me, I didn't have enough I.D. to get a library card. Admittedly I thought this was rather stupid, but if that's what's needed to keep us safe these days then so be it.

So, imagine my shock yesterday when I spoke to my Mum, who strolled into the registery office, handed over £7 and was given a copy of my FULL birth certificate without producing a single piece of I.D!

What's the bloody point in me needing multiple pieces of ID for a library card if people are free to open bank accounts and apply for passports in my name because people are dishing birth certificates out like sweets!

Ageing Bat · 17 Aug 2007, 12:12

Lucy, I think you should post your email to:

Mr G Brown
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Let's see what he has to say about it!

*AndyK* · 17 Aug 2007, 12:24

Or alternatively, email him from here

Email Gordon

**Monstro** · 17 Aug 2007, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ageing Bat

Lucy, I think you should post your email to:

Mr G Brown
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Let's see what he has to say about it!

If that doesn't get a response....................................get his birth certificate and enroll him in the conservative party, my guess is that would wake him up.

LucyK! · 17 Aug 2007, 12:27

Do you think he'll send a cash apology?!

It is terrible though isn't it...I can't believe that anyone could have picked up my birth certificate...what's worse is that as my Mum is married to my step-dad so she has a different surname to me, so any ID she had on her wouldn't have proved she was my Mum anyway, surely they should have insisted on seeing her marriage certificate to ensure all the names add up?!!!!

**Monstro** · 17 Aug 2007, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy!

Do you think he'll send a cash apology?!

It is terrible though isn't it...I can't believe that anyone could have picked up my birth certificate...what's worse is that as my Mum is married to my step-dad so she has a different surname to me, so any ID she had on her wouldn't have proved she was my Mum anyway, surely they should have insisted on seeing her marriage certificate to ensure all the names add up?!!!!

What's worse is that you can do it all by post with postal orders, all you need is place of birth and mothers maiden name and you can get ANY birth certificate

*AndyK* · 17 Aug 2007, 12:30

Or the other route ... Sell it

I'm still in shock about the whole thing, working in the field that I do, I know how seriously things like this should be taken and how stringent identity checks can (and should) be, to have the most basic form of proof of identity such as a birth certifcate so easily available to anyone is downright scary!

LucyK! · 17 Aug 2007, 12:31

Frightening isn't it...

That's my point though, my Mum will have had no ID on her that proved she's ever been anything other than the surname she has now, so her credit cards etc wouldn't have matched the birth certificate anyway! Not that it matters because they didn't ask for it!!!!!

**allrevvedup** · 17 Aug 2007, 12:32

I agree with you Lucy it is pretty nuts...let me tell you about my fun this week.

I found out on Monday night that someone had copied my atm card...possibly while i was in new york and then managed to take all my money from my bank account. A lot basically!

Someone was making transactions with the copied card in singapore and bangkok while i was taking out money over here and the bank never realised that this might be strange. I know i'm good but i couldn't get from dublin to singapore on the thursday and go back to dublin on the saturday only to make transactions in singapore later that day!

So anyway my bank is onto it and after having to gently persuade them that I didn't want to pay charges and that i couldnt do without my money for a month, they've opened a temp account for me.

I'd advise anyone to be careful where you use your atm, not just abroad but in england and ireland as well. I'm not going to use the stand alone atm's anymore instead i'll go for the official bank ones.

Any identity fraud is scary

LucyK! · 17 Aug 2007, 12:34

Absolutely - we had that a couple of years ago, my step-dad used at ATM and there was something in the machine that copied all the info from the chip on the card...went to his account and everything was gone

*AndyK* · 17 Aug 2007, 12:37

I'm surprised that you didn't get a call from the bank because of the transactions going on in Singapore ... I had a call from my credit card company the day I orderd all my tickets for Meat's second leg dates via .net ... the multiple transactions via the internet had flagged up a warning in the credit card company's systems. Always reassuring to hear of a bank working to protect your money for a change.

**allrevvedup** · 17 Aug 2007, 12:42

i think i'll change to your bank!

Definitely no fun to find try and get 20 euro out to find you've only got 16 euro and 2 cent left in the account. I know my spending can be something at times...but cmon!

**RadioMaster** · 17 Aug 2007, 12:45

and then people dont want you to get paranoid! lol

**allrevvedup** · 17 Aug 2007, 15:03

What's life savings anyway!

mszee · 17 Aug 2007, 18:02

Possibly in NY...yeah...

Identity theft for the most part happens when you purchase stuff on the internet...a lot of sites don't have secure routing for that.

If the internet address where you're about to enter your credit card number, etc. doesn't have https...do not enter your credit card number...and even then there are dodgy sites that will sell your info to the highest bidder.

It doesn't help that major insurance and finanacial companies outsource their customer service.

Example: Blue Shield/Blue Cross - major healthcare provider in America - outsources their work to India including ALL the personal info of the insured...yeah social security number too...so your info entered in the system is NEVER secure...

Having said that...Mike, you absolutely have to change banks and maybe even report your bank...I got a phone call from my credit card when I've made charges for dinner in a different part of the state...

I had a good laugh today...while paying Company's American Express card I've noticed that for the purpose of the security they stopped putting full number on the bill...so it goes something like that...XXX-XXX-231...

Sounds good? Not really...cause down below on a stub you're supposed to return with your payment is the full number of your card...

mszee · 17 Aug 2007, 18:02

Geez, Mike...that was one of the most "tactful" things you've ever said...I won't sleep at night now...s

vrg · 17 Aug 2007, 19:10

Mike, you didn't know, and a lot of citizens over here don't know, either, that those private, stand-alone ATMs are dangerous, and can be used easily by frauds. Yours is far from the only horror story about being 'taken' from using one of these machines. And it has just been lately that the publicity from episodes such as yours is really getting out to the US public; before, it was just mentioned on a list of identity fraud possibilities.
And yes, you should transfer banks. My bank has been great about calling me about unusual activity on my account. And I don't mind that call one bit; that is one of the services for which I'm paying a monthly service charge.
See you at Jones Beach?

**RadioMaster** · 17 Aug 2007, 19:29

might be a little off topic but:

recently needed a new ebay-account (too complicated to explain why).
When I was registrating, it said that a certification code would be mailed to me. After a day I emailed them that I didnt get anything, and they mailed back this would be normal, as they would check debts information on every new user and actually mail a letter with the certification code.

When I was registering back in 01 I could just sign up. So they put all this effort into new users registrations to protect their customers from scammers.

mszee · 17 Aug 2007, 19:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadioMaster

might be a little off topic but:

recently needed a new ebay-account (too complicated to explain why).
When I was registrating, it said that a certification code would be mailed to me. After a day I emailed them that I didnt get anything, and they mailed back this would be normal, as they would check debts information on every new user and actually mail a letter with the certification code.

When I was registering back in 01 I could just sign up. So they put all this effort into new users registrations to protect their customers from scammers.

E-Bay started on a premise of a big garage/yard sale - not sure what it's called in England or Germany but basically when you drag out all your old crap and try to unload it on somebody else...in turn going to somebody else's sale and buying crap that you don't need...

As you all know, it's evolved...it became not just a big giant flea market but also an outlet for many new goods businesses...I actually know a jewlery dealer who sells on E-Bay while having a fully legitimate offices in NYC...

So...they had to improve their customer service, especially considering the fact that they haven't anticipated as much fraud as actually was and is being perpetrated...

SamCat · 17 Aug 2007, 22:48

I know with credit cards they ring you if theres a out of character transaction but if it not a credit card they dont!! I never ever take money out at the cash point but when my atm card was copied they used it 8 times in 24 hours and it didn't flag up as suspicious!!

duke knooby · 17 Aug 2007, 22:50

should i be getting worried that my card was swallowed by the machine?

*AndyK* · 17 Aug 2007, 22:50

I've had calls from my bank about non-standard usage on my debit card ... both when I've used it as a debit card and when it's been used in ATMs, sounds like you should all swap to use my bank (wonder if I'll get a commission?)

duke knooby · 17 Aug 2007, 22:53

your with the bank that likes to say "did you really mean to buy that lp from ebay?????"

SamCat · 17 Aug 2007, 22:57

When the money was stolen from my account they actually said they might not extend my overdraft to cover the missing money cos there was fraudulant use of the card!!!

**allrevvedup** · 18 Aug 2007, 02:23

At the end of it all who knows where exactly it was...card fraud happens in dublin as well and like you were saying vrg it has normally been just a small story in a paper that no one pays attention.

To get my details they could've copied it a month ago or a year ago...someone is sold the numbers far as i know. It's scary as hell and i probably will move banks once the money is fully refunded into my account, as i'm using a temp account with an overdraft,

One thing is definite i am never using one of this stand alone atms, unless i'm in the desert or something!

17 Aug 2007, 11:52	#1
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	My identity fraud rant! Title says it all really! Living in the rather sad day and age that we do in regards to theft, identy fraud, terrorism etc I've been comforted recently knowing that companies really are going out of their way to ensure that our personal details remain confidential and only accessible to those necessary... This week my Ebay account was hacked, I rarely use my account anyway but my concern was that in the 10+ emails I got due to someone else having access to the account, my full name was included, and I'm not happy about some idiot knowing that! I reported the problem to Ebay who have been brilliant. My account was suspended and reactivated, all passwords have been changed, and I received a rather strict email instructing me on how to protect myself from this happening in future A few months back I wanted some books from our local library where my membership card had expired and I needed a new one. Despite having my full UK driver's license on me, I didn't have enough I.D. to get a library card. Admittedly I thought this was rather stupid, but if that's what's needed to keep us safe these days then so be it. So, imagine my shock yesterday when I spoke to my Mum, who strolled into the registery office, handed over £7 and was given a copy of my FULL birth certificate without producing a single piece of I.D! What's the bloody point in me needing multiple pieces of ID for a library card if people are free to open bank accounts and apply for passports in my name because people are dishing birth certificates out like sweets!

17 Aug 2007, 12:12	#2
Ageing Bat Young at heart. Slightly older in other places. Join Date: 20.11.2003 Location: Here! Posts: 1,311	Lucy, I think you should post your email to: Mr G Brown 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA Let's see what he has to say about it!

17 Aug 2007, 12:24	#3
AndyK Relentless Join Date: 21.11.2003 Location: Over the top..... seeing what's on the other side Posts: 18,694	Or alternatively, email him from here Email Gordon

17 Aug 2007, 12:27	#5
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Do you think he'll send a cash apology?! It is terrible though isn't it...I can't believe that anyone could have picked up my birth certificate...what's worse is that as my Mum is married to my step-dad so she has a different surname to me, so any ID she had on her wouldn't have proved she was my Mum anyway, surely they should have insisted on seeing her marriage certificate to ensure all the names add up?!!!!

17 Aug 2007, 12:30	#7
AndyK Relentless Join Date: 21.11.2003 Location: Over the top..... seeing what's on the other side Posts: 18,694	Or the other route ... Sell it I'm still in shock about the whole thing, working in the field that I do, I know how seriously things like this should be taken and how stringent identity checks can (and should) be, to have the most basic form of proof of identity such as a birth certifcate so easily available to anyone is downright scary!

17 Aug 2007, 12:31	#8
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Frightening isn't it... That's my point though, my Mum will have had no ID on her that proved she's ever been anything other than the surname she has now, so her credit cards etc wouldn't have matched the birth certificate anyway! Not that it matters because they didn't ask for it!!!!!

17 Aug 2007, 12:32	#9
allrevvedup "Most things that i worry about, never happen anyway" Join Date: 29.11.2003 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,356	I agree with you Lucy it is pretty nuts...let me tell you about my fun this week. I found out on Monday night that someone had copied my atm card...possibly while i was in new york and then managed to take all my money from my bank account. A lot basically! Someone was making transactions with the copied card in singapore and bangkok while i was taking out money over here and the bank never realised that this might be strange. I know i'm good but i couldn't get from dublin to singapore on the thursday and go back to dublin on the saturday only to make transactions in singapore later that day! So anyway my bank is onto it and after having to gently persuade them that I didn't want to pay charges and that i couldnt do without my money for a month, they've opened a temp account for me. I'd advise anyone to be careful where you use your atm, not just abroad but in england and ireland as well. I'm not going to use the stand alone atm's anymore instead i'll go for the official bank ones. Any identity fraud is scary

17 Aug 2007, 12:34	#10
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Absolutely - we had that a couple of years ago, my step-dad used at ATM and there was something in the machine that copied all the info from the chip on the card...went to his account and everything was gone

17 Aug 2007, 12:37	#11
AndyK Relentless Join Date: 21.11.2003 Location: Over the top..... seeing what's on the other side Posts: 18,694	I'm surprised that you didn't get a call from the bank because of the transactions going on in Singapore ... I had a call from my credit card company the day I orderd all my tickets for Meat's second leg dates via .net ... the multiple transactions via the internet had flagged up a warning in the credit card company's systems. Always reassuring to hear of a bank working to protect your money for a change.

17 Aug 2007, 12:42	#12
allrevvedup "Most things that i worry about, never happen anyway" Join Date: 29.11.2003 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,356	i think i'll change to your bank! Definitely no fun to find try and get 20 euro out to find you've only got 16 euro and 2 cent left in the account. I know my spending can be something at times...but cmon!

17 Aug 2007, 12:45	#13
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	and then people dont want you to get paranoid! lol

17 Aug 2007, 15:03	#14
allrevvedup "Most things that i worry about, never happen anyway" Join Date: 29.11.2003 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,356	What's life savings anyway!

17 Aug 2007, 18:02	#15
mszee Mega Loafer Join Date: 29.03.2006 Location: And you think you're down under??? Posts: 26,252	Possibly in NY...yeah... Identity theft for the most part happens when you purchase stuff on the internet...a lot of sites don't have secure routing for that. If the internet address where you're about to enter your credit card number, etc. doesn't have https...do not enter your credit card number...and even then there are dodgy sites that will sell your info to the highest bidder. It doesn't help that major insurance and finanacial companies outsource their customer service. Example: Blue Shield/Blue Cross - major healthcare provider in America - outsources their work to India including ALL the personal info of the insured...yeah social security number too...so your info entered in the system is NEVER secure... Having said that...Mike, you absolutely have to change banks and maybe even report your bank...I got a phone call from my credit card when I've made charges for dinner in a different part of the state... I had a good laugh today...while paying Company's American Express card I've noticed that for the purpose of the security they stopped putting full number on the bill...so it goes something like that...XXX-XXX-231... Sounds good? Not really...cause down below on a stub you're supposed to return with your payment is the full number of your card...

17 Aug 2007, 19:10	#17
vrg Super Loafer Join Date: 30.10.2005 Location: Just outside Manhattan Posts: 671	Mike, you didn't know, and a lot of citizens over here don't know, either, that those private, stand-alone ATMs are dangerous, and can be used easily by frauds. Yours is far from the only horror story about being 'taken' from using one of these machines. And it has just been lately that the publicity from episodes such as yours is really getting out to the US public; before, it was just mentioned on a list of identity fraud possibilities. And yes, you should transfer banks. My bank has been great about calling me about unusual activity on my account. And I don't mind that call one bit; that is one of the services for which I'm paying a monthly service charge. See you at Jones Beach?

17 Aug 2007, 19:29	#18
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	might be a little off topic but: recently needed a new ebay-account (too complicated to explain why). When I was registrating, it said that a certification code would be mailed to me. After a day I emailed them that I didnt get anything, and they mailed back this would be normal, as they would check debts information on every new user and actually mail a letter with the certification code. When I was registering back in 01 I could just sign up. So they put all this effort into new users registrations to protect their customers from scammers.

17 Aug 2007, 22:48	#20
SamCat Hello Harry!!!! Join Date: 12.09.2006 Location: London Posts: 3,086	I know with credit cards they ring you if theres a out of character transaction but if it not a credit card they dont!! I never ever take money out at the cash point but when my atm card was copied they used it 8 times in 24 hours and it didn't flag up as suspicious!!

17 Aug 2007, 22:50	#21
duke knooby Mega Loafer Join Date: 24.06.2005 Location: belfast Posts: 17,892	should i be getting worried that my card was swallowed by the machine?

17 Aug 2007, 22:53	#23
duke knooby Mega Loafer Join Date: 24.06.2005 Location: belfast Posts: 17,892	your with the bank that likes to say "did you really mean to buy that lp from ebay?????"

17 Aug 2007, 22:57	#24
SamCat Hello Harry!!!! Join Date: 12.09.2006 Location: London Posts: 3,086	When the money was stolen from my account they actually said they might not extend my overdraft to cover the missing money cos there was fraudulant use of the card!!!

18 Aug 2007, 02:23	#25
allrevvedup "Most things that i worry about, never happen anyway" Join Date: 29.11.2003 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,356	At the end of it all who knows where exactly it was...card fraud happens in dublin as well and like you were saying vrg it has normally been just a small story in a paper that no one pays attention. To get my details they could've copied it a month ago or a year ago...someone is sold the numbers far as i know. It's scary as hell and i probably will move banks once the money is fully refunded into my account, as i'm using a temp account with an overdraft, One thing is definite i am never using one of this stand alone atms, unless i'm in the desert or something!