Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 14:13     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I currently am a victim of identity theft. It started in May and is still going on. I realized it was happening in August. Someone is trying to open credit cards in my name using my SSN. They successfully opened 4 cards before I realized and put a fraud alert on my account. Now I get calls whenever my credit is accessed. Got another one two days ago, so in light of that and in light of this Equifax mess, I decided to freeze my credit yesterday. Took me maybe 15 mins. K used the bnumbers and websites below. I hope you all have luck with this route. I believe this is happening to me because of that Equifax breach, and I'm pissed

For credit freezes:
TransUnion.com
1-888-909-8872
Experian.com
1-888-397-3742
Equifax.com
1-800-349-9960


Why didn't you put a freeze in August. That was my first phone call when it happened: to freeze and to remove unknown addresses from the file (add notes to file first, they are removed now), then calling the companies with the accounts I didn't open.


Because it was recommended to me by the credit bureaus and the credit card companies to start with a fraud alert on my credit. And that worked. With that I was able to stop two cc's from being opened. But after I learned about Equifax last week and another credit line was attempted, I decided to freeze.


Got it. I called with the intention to freeze as it's free if you are victim of identity theft
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 14:05     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I currently am a victim of identity theft. It started in May and is still going on. I realized it was happening in August. Someone is trying to open credit cards in my name using my SSN. They successfully opened 4 cards before I realized and put a fraud alert on my account. Now I get calls whenever my credit is accessed. Got another one two days ago, so in light of that and in light of this Equifax mess, I decided to freeze my credit yesterday. Took me maybe 15 mins. K used the bnumbers and websites below. I hope you all have luck with this route. I believe this is happening to me because of that Equifax breach, and I'm pissed

For credit freezes:
TransUnion.com
1-888-909-8872
Experian.com
1-888-397-3742
Equifax.com
1-800-349-9960


Why didn't you put a freeze in August. That was my first phone call when it happened: to freeze and to remove unknown addresses from the file (add notes to file first, they are removed now), then calling the companies with the accounts I didn't open.


Because it was recommended to me by the credit bureaus and the credit card companies to start with a fraud alert on my credit. And that worked. With that I was able to stop two cc's from being opened. But after I learned about Equifax last week and another credit line was attempted, I decided to freeze.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 14:05     Subject: freezing credit files at Equifax
What's ridiculous is that it has been days and our federal government has done nothing to take control of the situation. The breach not only will cost millions of Americans time and money and stress to deal with, there's also going to be a huge issue with how the Social Security Administration deals with fraud and other problems. There's no leadership from Congress or the Trump Administration. Nada. Zilch. Radio Silence.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 13:49     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:someone really smart should rethink the way for SSA to issue new SSNs immediately when our identities are stolen.

When your house keys are stolen/lost nobody keeps using the same damn sets of lock right? How dumb are we ??? It's someone saying "oh, i borrowed your house keys but lost them but don't worry...I'll pay someone to watch your house for 30 days to be sure you don't get robbed."



I know!
My kids SSN were included in the OPM breach. They are children. The "monitoring" for them only lasts until they are 18... what happens then?
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 13:45     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
someone really smart should rethink the way for SSA to issue new SSNs immediately when our identities are stolen.

When your house keys are stolen/lost nobody keeps using the same damn sets of lock right? How dumb are we ??? It's someone saying "oh, i borrowed your house keys but lost them but don't worry...I'll pay someone to watch your house for 30 days to be sure you don't get robbed."


Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 12:13     Subject: freezing credit files at Equifax
I did it on Sunday but it too way too fucking long because they make it really really hard to find exactly where to go to put the freeze on. Once I figured it out, I sent the links to my parents and in-laws b/c I knew they would be totally stymied. The whole thing is ridiculous.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 12:10     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:I currently am a victim of identity theft. It started in May and is still going on. I realized it was happening in August. Someone is trying to open credit cards in my name using my SSN. They successfully opened 4 cards before I realized and put a fraud alert on my account. Now I get calls whenever my credit is accessed. Got another one two days ago, so in light of that and in light of this Equifax mess, I decided to freeze my credit yesterday. Took me maybe 15 mins. K used the bnumbers and websites below. I hope you all have luck with this route. I believe this is happening to me because of that Equifax breach, and I'm pissed

For credit freezes:
TransUnion.com
1-888-909-8872
Experian.com
1-888-397-3742
Equifax.com
1-800-349-9960


Why didn't you put a freeze in August. That was my first phone call when it happened: to freeze and to remove unknown addresses from the file (add notes to file first, they are removed now), then calling the companies with the accounts I didn't open.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 12:06     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe the whole point of the breach was to create panic.


If so, they've succeeded. I spent 45 minutes last night that I didn't have to spare trying to freeze my credit at each of the credit reporting agencies, with no luck. The idea of my SSN being out in cyberspace for purchase is scary.


I had identity theft before (credit cards opened, cellphone plans activated, etc). If your credit is stellar there is nothing to worry about as it is easy to clear out. Keep your credit clean, check regularly.


My friend had her identity stolen and it was far from "easy" to clean up. She told me, she spent maybe the equivalent of 20 business days sending appropriate documentation, making phone calls, filing police reports etc.


Took several phone calls (shorter than when you have credit card stolen as you don't haved to go through the individual charges), no documentation (can't even imagine what I could have sent as a documentation that I didn't open the accounts besides the signed affidavits). I didn't have to file a police report as it's not in their jurisdiction and was told that I would not be informed about the course of the investigation if any will happen.
I can imagine that it might be more pain for some. I had a mishap on my health insurance (human error) that took several month to clear. Just had to finally reach the capable person.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 12:05     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
I currently am a victim of identity theft. It started in May and is still going on. I realized it was happening in August. Someone is trying to open credit cards in my name using my SSN. They successfully opened 4 cards before I realized and put a fraud alert on my account. Now I get calls whenever my credit is accessed. Got another one two days ago, so in light of that and in light of this Equifax mess, I decided to freeze my credit yesterday. Took me maybe 15 mins. K used the bnumbers and websites below. I hope you all have luck with this route. I believe this is happening to me because of that Equifax breach, and I'm pissed

For credit freezes:
TransUnion.com
1-888-909-8872
Experian.com
1-888-397-3742
Equifax.com
1-800-349-9960
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 11:56     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe the whole point of the breach was to create panic.


If so, they've succeeded. I spent 45 minutes last night that I didn't have to spare trying to freeze my credit at each of the credit reporting agencies, with no luck. The idea of my SSN being out in cyberspace for purchase is scary.


I had identity theft before (credit cards opened, cellphone plans activated, etc). If your credit is stellar there is nothing to worry about as it is easy to clear out. Keep your credit clean, check regularly.


My friend had her identity stolen and it was far from "easy" to clean up. She told me, she spent maybe the equivalent of 20 business days sending appropriate documentation, making phone calls, filing police reports etc.
Anonymous
Post 09/14/2017 11:19     Subject: Re:freezing credit files at Equifax
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe the whole point of the breach was to create panic.


If so, they've succeeded. I spent 45 minutes last night that I didn't have to spare trying to freeze my credit at each of the credit reporting agencies, with no luck. The idea of my SSN being out in cyberspace for purchase is scary.


I had identity theft before (credit cards opened, cellphone plans activated, etc). If your credit is stellar there is nothing to worry about as it is easy to clear out. Keep your credit clean, check regularly.