Possible Fraud/Identity Theft: HELP!

silence1186

This morning when I was checking my email, I got 5 emails from paypal confirming 5 payments, as well as a bunch of order confirmations from various websites confirming my enrollment there, and the order being processed. So I jumped onto paypal and sure enough, someone has been running up charges. I changed the password and security questions, and put a freeze on my bank account that the paypal account was linked to. Luckily no money was taken out yet. I don't know what to do from here, I'm freaking out. Somebody please help!

DevoutlyApathetic

silence1186 wrote:

This morning when I was checking my email, I got 5 emails from paypal confirming 5 payments, as well as a bunch of order confirmations from various websites confirming my enrollment there, and the order being processed. So I jumped onto paypal and sure enough, someone has been running up charges. I changed the password and security questions, and put a freeze on my bank account that the paypal account was linked to. Luckily no money was taken out yet. I don't know what to do from here, I'm freaking out. Somebody please help!

Call Paypal and report it.

Call your bank and report it.

Get off the internet and do both of those now.

Your bank especially should be able to give real advice on this. I'd start working on figuring out where the leak came from. It sounds like paypal is the source but I'd check the record for any online cards linked to it or any other place you've reused that log in or password.

blincoln

You jumped on PayPal by manually typing "www.paypal.com" into the address bar of your browser and *not* clicking on the links in those emails you got, right?

silence1186

blincoln wrote:

You jumped on PayPal by manually typing "www.paypal.com" into the address bar of your browser and *not* clicking on the links in those emails you got, right?

Yes.

naporeon

Call one of the "big three" consumer credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), and report that you've been the victim of fraud. They will flag your credit report, and will notify the two agencies you didn't call on your behalf.

All three will notify you in writing within a week or so.

silence1186

naporeon wrote:

Call one of the "big three" consumer credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), and report that you've been the victim of fraud. They will flag your credit report, and will notify the two agencies you didn't call on your behalf.

All three will notify you in writing within a week or so.

They used my bank account directly, not my credit card. I called my credit card company and they said it wasn't necessary since the card itself hadn't been victimized. Is this true?

naporeon

silence1186 wrote:

naporeon wrote:

Call one of the "big three" consumer credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), and report that you've been the victim of fraud. They will flag your credit report, and will notify the two agencies you didn't call on your behalf.

All three will notify you in writing within a week or so.

They used my bank account directly, not my credit card. I called my credit card company and they said it wasn't necessary since the card itself hadn't been victimized. Is this true?

The issue isn't whether it was a bank account or credit card that was fraudulently used; the issue is information.

It's possible that if someone had the information necessary to violate your bank account, they might have enough information to apply for credit in your name. You lose nothing by reporting possible fraud, unless you plan to apply for credit within the next 90 days; even then, it will only represent an inconvenience during the application process.

khain

Scanning your computer for spyware/keyloggers would be a good idea as well if you think they got your password via that as it does you no good to change it if they can just wait until you unfreeze your accounts and then do it again.

fightinfilipino

i would request a credit report if you haven't already done so. they are free, and the major credit agencies (TransUnion, Experian, and, uh, i'm blanking on the third one...) all provide free credit reports, pursuant to some legislation passed by Congress not too long ago.

go to one of those companies' web sites and request a report. it will show you your credit history, but more importantly, it will show you what's been opened in your name. once you've identified the fraudulent accounts and records, you can contact the credit agencies and report that you've been a victim of identity theft and that you would like to correct your record.

i would also contact your local Social Security Administration office and see what they can do. i don't believe you can change your SS# however...