gaurding personal info/identity theft?

[guest]

I need some info about how to prevent people from getting my personal info and how to know who has it.

I think I may be facing an identity theft case here. I got a letter from some company a while ago which states that I owed them money. I didn't know anything about this company so I called them and asked about it. What I gathered was that several years ago, I opened a Sprint cell phone account and have not made payment since. Now Sprint sold my account to some outside company so I owe this company money, not Sprint. They are now collecting the debt from me.

This is an account I really don't know anything about. I didn't even own a cell phone back then. The billing address back then was in a state where I never live. They misspelled my name terribly. If I was the person who opened this account, how could I misspell my own name? But the social security number macthes.

I am kind of paranoid now. I feel like I am getting too much junk mail. I mean, people get junk mail all the time. But I am getting some junk mail from a restaurant I never leave my personal info to. I used credit cards there before, though. How in the world did they get my address?

Please, this is serious. Before I go bakrupt for something I did not do, is there a way to know who has my personal info, how to prevent the "leak" of my info, and prevent people from getting it? Thanks.

[Jinto]

I need some info about how to prevent people from getting my personal info and how to know who has it.

I think I may be facing an identity theft case here. I got a letter from some company a while ago which states that I owed them money. I didn't know anything about this company so I called them and asked about it. What I gathered was that several years ago, I opened a Sprint cell phone account and have not made payment since. Now Sprint sold my account to some outside company so I owe this company money, not Sprint. They are now collecting the debt from me.

This is an account I really don't know anything about. I didn't even own a cell phone back then. The billing address back then was in a state where I never live. They misspelled my name terribly. If I was the person who opened this account, how could I misspell my own name? But the social security number macthes.

I am kind of paranoid now. I feel like I am getting too much junk mail. I mean, people get junk mail all the time. But I am getting some junk mail from a restaurant I never leave my personal info to. I used credit cards there before, though. How in the world did they get my address?

Please, this is serious. Before I go bakrupt for something I did not do, is there a way to know who has my personal info, how to prevent the "leak" of my info, and prevent people from getting it? Thanks.

In Germany we have authority for that its called "Verbraucherschutz" and deals with impostures, data protection infringements and other stuff regarding customers being treated illegitimate.
I am not sure if you have something equivalent where you live.
Did you participate in certain free raffles (where you have to send personalized data in to participate), or give away your data to untrusted third party?
If this becomes more bothersome, I'ld go to the police and maybe employ a lawyer. (I have no idea how serious this is, but for now, I'ld ignore it.)

[felix]

@ guest> "I need some info about how to prevent people from getting my personal info"
It's quite easy, you don't give it away.
Especially if there's no point to it. For example say AnimeSuki required your address at registration. Obviously there's no need for such a site to need that info, so there's no point in giving it. My philosofy is that if it doesn't make sense then it's probably some kind of scam. Altho' I prefer to enter as little information as posible, as some shameful people just like to track you down.

[kitto-chan]

This was advice given to me by the St. Louis County Sheriff's office.

1. Have a credit report pulled.
- Verify all account are valid
- any inconsistent account should be address immediately.
- All accounts have time since active, address, balance, contact, co-signer/spouse (if app)

2. Immediate place any accounts you question into dispute ASAP. (This will help protect you, from further charges until resolution is obtained.)

3. File a police report, (the police can't do much but this shows initiative on your end to correct the problem.)

4. Request a block on your Credit report. (This means no one can request a credit check on you without first having your consent).

Now, if someone forged your signature and bounce a few checks, then have the banks see who cashed the check, where it was done, and if the account they use is still active or not? This can help lead to an arrest, or at least help you recover any losses you might incur.

Noted, I am not attorney, nor am I in any way affiliated with the judicial system.

Hopes this helps

[Ewok]

What guest is experiencing is not too unusual - a company has people owing it money, and this debt is offered to collection agencies who "buy" the debt and chase it up.

In this case just reply with a letter stating that you have never had dealings with sprint, have never applied or consented to the charges, and request that they cease contacting you. If the name, address, etc are incorrect, I doubt you are going to have a problem - they are just trying to scare you to get the money. Next step is usually threatening that they will take you to court and sue you for the money - more trouble than its worth but usually scares people into paying.

Just ignore them, and make sure people can't steal your mail :)

[raikage]

There is absolutely nothing you can do to ensure your personal data doesn't get out.

Do you have a bank account? Bank of America, Wells Fargo, et. al have been hacked, and their customers' data stolen.

Someone hacked UCLA's servers and stole personal data.

A Dept. of Defense (I think) official took his company laptop home, where it was stolen.

This isn't to say taking measures to shred your mail or whatnot are useless -- it's a very good precautionary measure -- but there are MANY factors beyond your control.

As to your getting junk mail from a restaurant:

- Bulk mailings? Your neighbord may have also gotten flyers from said restaurant -- especially if it's a small local one. They walked down your street and shoved one in every mailbox.

- Companies sell name/address information all the time. One company is likely selling data to another company as I write this post now.

[Aoie_Emesai]

Normal computer's are easily accessible. As liked said above, keep all informations about yourself to yourself. You best buddy on the internet don't need to know it.

Some sites about Identify Theft Preventions and suches.

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17-it.htm

http://www.aarp.org/learntech/personal_finance/identity_theft_intro.html

It's basically common internet knowledge about reducing the amount of information you share, avoid these situations of possible and simple tricks of the trade about Identify Theft Preventions.

[LynnieS]

If you are still in school, you should also watch out in case the school/university is [still] using your Social Security number as your school ID number. It's the same principle as what Aoie_Emesai and co. (not to mention the AARP site) had said - unless you *have* to give it out (and they won't work around it for some reason), don't spread this info around.

Get your credit report if you haven't already, guest, and go through it to make sure that everything on it is kosher. Even if no one had stolen your personal info, sometimes, mistakes get into them also. Not sure if it's true any longer, but depending on where (the U.S. state) you live, you used to be able to get a free copy. Even if not, it's still a good reason to spend the cash, IMHO.