New SSA scam

[snapshotmiki]

This is from another website that I frequent!  

 

Spent some interesting time navigating web sites. Let me give you the back ground.

January of this year I received a interesting letter. An amateur looking printout implying it was from the Social Security Administration. The letter was sent to me to confirm our recent phone conversation (I didn't talk to anyone from the S.S.A.). Us folks that are close to retirement must be on a watch list because I'm continuously receiving "official" looking letters that are "Time sensitive" junk mail so I threw the S.S.A. letter in the trash, thought about it and then retrieved it. Good thing I did! On one of the pages was my wife's and mine full names, date of Births and Social security numbers! Another page stated my first S.S. check would be in the mail soon! What the...I didn't apply for S.S.!!!!

Printout had a telephone number of the local S.S.A. office I could call with questions. I search on the Internet confirmed the telephone number was real. I called! S.S.A. advised I would have to come to their office in person, prove who I was and we could go from there. They made an appointment for me the next day. I did.

S.S.A. said I was the second one coming in that day with the same problem. National security breaches, crooks mining personal information, someone posing as me applied online (the letter stating "phone conversation" was generic) for my S.S. benefits. Electronic deposit was to a some type of debit card account. First payment had not be made, S.S.A. put a stop on it. Asked for my permission (granted) to stop any and all online applications that pertain to me in the future.

S.S.A. is investigating. The only place I know that the wife's and my information are together in one place is on our tax return AND a work related online medical survey (work was changing medical coverage and needed to know...).

When I mention to the oldest daughter what had happen she went into orbit. "DAD YOU NEED TO FREEZE YOUR CREDIT!" So this leads us to today.

Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are the big 3 credit report companies. I requested my free annual credit report from all three. The reports had no surprises (like a penthouse purchase in North Korea). A credit card that I thought I had canceled 10 years ago showed up with a zero balance (I better call them direct and cancel!). Now came the interesting part. The freezing of my credit.

Equifax and Experian websitse evidently doesn't like my desk top browsers. I get so far into it then it times out. I tried multiple times using Firefox and IE. I finally tried my Ipad and competed the navigation, questions (prove who you say you are) and completed the freeze. TranUnion access worked fine with Firefox. One requires a 6 digit numerical PIN another a jumble of number, letters, CAPS and special characters longer then my shirt sleeve (OK I may be exaggerating a little) and the third no PIN requirement.

Now if I'm understanding my Daughter correctly and what I comprehended on the 3 credit report companies sites, anyone (me included) trying to get credit (in my name) will be denied. Works for me because I'm debit free and have zero plans at this stage in life applying for any future credit. If I do then all I have to do is renavigate the 3 credit companies websites and allow a one time access.
 

[Jeepers]

Oh good grief. You know the issues I'm having. This is hitting me too close to home. Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to make one more trip to my local S.S. office again. I don't give a rats...whisker if they do think I'm old and crazy. 

[Mt_Rider]

The old saying:  Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they AREN'T out to get you!    These days...YES!  A lot of crooks are out to get you, me and everyone else.  There have been so many security breaches that no one is exempt.  Paperless society....pffft!  Will never happen.  Crooks will get around a thumbprint scan too, I'd wager. 

 

Hmmm....I just realized that DH will be coming along towards SSI age too soon.    It was so much fun getting me on SSDI all those years ago.  {NOT!} 

 

MtRider   ....thanks for passing that along, Miki.