My identity has been stolen.

[blitz1027]

well, it happened to me.  My identity has been stolen and my life savings is gone.  Someone hacked my Apple Pay, credit card and god knows what else and transferred almost my entire life’s savings out of it my bank and It was sent to various numbers and email addresses.  This is insane, because my “identity theft protection” didn’t alert it stop any of this from happening.  My entire life has been destroyed by someone behind a computer.

I also found out today that I’ve apparently filed for unemployment in both California and Nevada.  Which is strange since I work a full time job in Louisiana.  Let me tragedy serve as a warning to others.  Minimize your online presence.  Because currently my bank, credit card and apple are all pointing fingers at each other and don’t care to help me recover my stolen funds.

As much as my pride doesn’t want to ask, I’ve started up a go fund me to help cover bills until these investigations are done.  
 

if anyone could share it to help I’d be most appreciative.

https://gofund.me/eae24489

[DailyDi]

That sucks big time! You should be able to get most of it back, keep fighting! Especially with your identity theft protection provider who should have guarantees in place

[blitz1027]

1 hour ago, DailyDi said:

That sucks big time! You should be able to get most of it back, keep fighting! Especially with your identity theft protection provider who should have guarantees in place

I sincerely hope I do.  But so far no one seems to care about the problem enough to help me.

im going to the bank today to raise a bit of cane in hopes of something getting accomplished 

[Crinklz Kat]

That sucks.  I too have had my identity stolen, but never went through anything like that!

I highly recommend you go and lock your credit reports right now.  Doing so prevents anyone from opening new financial accounts (bank accts, credit cards, loans, etc.) with your information.

https://my.equifax.com/
https://www.experian.com/ncaconline/freeze
https://freeze.transunion.com

 

And there's a govt page to report ID theft.... because last thing you want is someone filing a tax return and getting YOUR refund! 

www.identitytheft.gov

When you sign up at the GOV site, it'll grant you an immediate access to get your credit report from all 3 agencies regardless of whether you've used your "once per year free access" - which you can get at www.annualcreditreport.gov.

 

And file a police report since you had money stolen if you haven't already.

[blitz1027]

8 minutes ago, Crinklz Kat said:

That sucks.  I too have had my identity stolen, but never went through anything like that!

I highly recommend you go and lock your credit reports right now.  Doing so prevents anyone from opening new financial accounts (bank accts, credit cards, loans, etc.) with your information.

https://my.equifax.com/
https://www.experian.com/ncaconline/freeze
https://freeze.transunion.com

 

And there's a govt page to report ID theft.... because last thing you want is someone filing a tax return and getting YOUR refund! 

www.identitytheft.gov

When you sign up at the GOV site, it'll grant you an immediate access to get your credit report from all 3 agencies regardless of whether you've used your "once per year free access" - which you can get at www.annualcreditreport.gov.

 

And file a police report since you had money stolen if you haven't already.

Thanks for the info.  I’ve filed the police reports and such.  But I’ve been so fried over all this that I don’t know if I’m coming or going

[willnotwill]

Every time my AMEX card has been compromised it was after I put it on my apple pay.    I find that too much of a coincidence.   I limit apple pay to my Apple card now.

How did they get into your bank account?

 

[rusty pins]

I hope it works out for you and you get your money back.  I cringe at the convenient world of today.  People use the internet for so many things that can get hacked.  Banking on line, using credit cards for purchases (and I do too now and then), Facebook, Twitter, Pay Pal, other cash transfer sites and all other on line accounts.  It's the way things work these days.  I do my best to minimize my footprint.  No Facebook or Twitter, I don't do my banking on line, I mail checks or pay bills in person and when I buy gas, I never pay at the pump!  I've had a friend who's card has been hacked twice within a year by using it at a pump where a skimmer could be attached.  It doesn't take me that long to walk in the station and pay at the counter.

Within the past year I have had my credit card hacked twice.  First time I noticed 3 charges from a gas station in Ohio when my statement arrived.  When I called there were two more.  This all happened over a period of a week or two.  They just happened to start using my card at the end of the month so I caught the first 3 charges when I got my statement and was able to put a stop to it.  Got my money back and a new card.  The next time my bank alerted me of unusual charges and I had charges from a Zorro company in the U.K., fast food charges and a few other charges as well.  Got all the charges removed and another new card.

Even if you pay in person at a store or by check, that doesn't always mean your safe!  Anything that a store or company does these days is through electronic funds!  I just wrote a check and paid my auto insurance this morning, the woman entered the information in her computer, voided my check and stamped it "Electronic Funds Transfer".  Sure, the modern world and technology is much faster than sending off a check or paying cash, but it leaves it wide open for hackers and theft.

Might be wise for everyone to have two totally separate bank accounts.  Keep the bulk of your money in one account that has no debit or credit cards, and a separate account where you maybe keep a couple hundred dollars in for purchases, maybe even at a different bank.  When you need to add to it from the main account, withdraw money (don't transfer) and then deposit that same money into the other account that has your credit and debit account.  If somehow your debit or credit card gets hacked, your bank accounts are separate from each other and they can't drain your main savings.  A lot more work?  Sure is, but how much work is it to get identity theft fixed and hopefully stolen money returned.

[Dprczyone]

My VISA was recently used for a bed and breakfast stay plus a couple of other charges. Total of over $650. Luckily VISA will cover the charges but it's happened 3 or 4 times in the last 20 years. I also have my card on Apple Pay so I think I'll leave the discontinued card on there. We went on vacation in July so maybe one of the paces we stopped at copied my card. Luckily they didn't get to my bank account. Super sorry it happened to you @blitz1027.

[rusty pins]

4 hours ago, blitz1027 said:

well, it happened to me.  My identity has been stolen and my life savings is gone.  Someone hacked my Apple Pay, credit card and god knows what else and transferred almost my entire life’s savings out of it my bank and It was sent to various numbers and email addresses.  This is insane, because my “identity theft protection” didn’t alert it stop any of this from happening.  My entire life has been destroyed by someone behind a computer.

I know you started a post this past week about a "Mommy Marie".  Dapperdan also had a post about some mommy wanting his account number and password so she could "put money in his account to buy diapers".  Maybe there is a mommy scam going around targeting members of the AB lifestyle or even this site.  They could all be somehow connected to the same person.  Since you say you traded many messages with her and she sent you pictures, I'd review all of that correspondence to see if there was any possible way she could have gotten your personal information.  Name, address, anything.  If you were emailing with her, maybe she somehow got personal information about you through emails.  Scrolling down the Mommy scams postings you will see Kasarberang posted just how easy it is for someone to hack your phone and get your personal information.  We all need to be careful!  Some people have already reported getting a virus warning and a screen that tells them to call a Microsoft number immediately when they tried to log into DailyDiapers last week.

 

[blitz1027]

1 hour ago, willnotwill said:

Every time my AMEX card has been compromised it was after I put it on my apple pay.    I find that too much of a coincidence.   I limit apple pay to my Apple card now.

How did they get into your bank account?

 

My wife had her debit card linked to Apple Pay.  So they just withdrew it straight from our account 

1 hour ago, rusty pins said:

I know you started a post this past week about a "Mommy Marie".  Dapperdan also had a post about some mommy wanting his account number and password so she could "put money in his account to buy diapers".  Maybe there is a mommy scam going around targeting members of the AB lifestyle or even this site.  They could all be somehow connected to the same person.  Since you say you traded many messages with her and she sent you pictures, I'd review all of that correspondence to see if there was any possible way she could have gotten your personal information.  Name, address, anything.  If you were emailing with her, maybe she somehow got personal information about you through emails.  Scrolling down the Mommy scams postings you will see Kasarberang posted just how easy it is for someone to hack your phone and get your personal information.  We all need to be careful!  Some people have already reported getting a virus warning and a screen that tells them to call a Microsoft number immediately when they tried to log into DailyDiapers last week.

 

Yeah she’s the one I’m currently eyeballing the hardest right now.  She seems to be the most suspicious here.  Trying to figure out how she could have possibly gotten my info

[ppdude]

2 hours ago, willnotwill said:

Every time my AMEX card has been compromised it was after I put it on my apple pay.    I find that too much of a coincidence.   I limit apple pay to my Apple card now.

How did they get into your bank account?

 

Sounds like this is an ongoing thing. Get off of Apple Pay -- you don't need it!!!! It's safer to use a credit card without going through an app! Your liability and losses are limited when using the card(s) in stand-alone modes.

 

 

[rusty pins]

Sounds like ppdude has some great advice!  Like I said earlier, go as low tech as possible.  Sometimes you need to use a credit card for a purchase, but the lowest tech way of doing it without all the smart phone apps and stuff might be the safest.  Technology dangles all these cool but useless things under our noses that we really don't need to entice us to spend our money on them.  We are suckers for doing it too!  An app to control the lights and thermostat in our houses from our smart phone.  One that will unlock our home when we are at work so the grocery store whom you used an app to order groceries can go into your house and deliver them.  Just to name a few.  We are opening ourselves to crime by doing some of these foolish things through smart phones.  Remember, technology works both ways.  The more things they come up with for us to use, the more technology advances for us to be hacked.  Technology is useful but it's also turning us into a bunch of lazy people who rely on them for simple common things we have always done before.  My time isn't so valuable that I have to pull up the restaurant menu on line to see what they have instead of waiting to be seated and handed a menu.  Likewise at McDonalds.  I don't have to order from their stupid kiosk when it's always worked fine to tell the person at the counter what I want and then pay her.

[blitz1027]

Thanks for the condolences guys.  I’m at the point where I literally can’t even afford to go buy bread at Walmart.  I’ve never had my life turned so upside down 

[beallucanb]

Please lock all 3 of credit bureau accounts, do not leave these accounts open, chances are you will get hacked.

Unless you are trying to borrow money or make a large purchase, like a car these accounts should be closed and locked.

If you are going to make a large purchase, you can make arrangements to open one for a look, I think the cost is 15 bucks for a look into your account, if you lock the accounts yourself.

I was told to do this many years ago after there was a rash of accounts stolen by hackers.

I locked mine myself I had no need to open them in over 10 years.

 

[pantypaul69]

I think PayPal is another one to watch out for I think that's where I almost lost a lot of money . First time my bank caught it, PayPal caught it later. That's when I started watching my account and quit using PayPal. 

[id0ntknow]

4 hours ago, pantypaul69 said:

I think PayPal is another one to watch out for I think that's where I almost lost a lot of money . First time my bank caught it, PayPal caught it later. That's when I started watching my account and quit using PayPal. 

I used to have my debit card linked to my Paypal account, but it was too much hassle. Even trying to get it removed was a pain, but I made them do it, and I pay the bill by mail, and will never link a card or account at the bank to it again.

[feralfreak]

damn, that sucks major ass, ill be adding you to my prayers. you should be able to refute charges since you were the victim, if the banks refuse to help you there is a bureau you can contact, i think its the consumer financial protection bureau, and the federal reserve, the FDIC, and your state might have a commissioner of banks, you can also go to the federal trade commission i think, and your congressperson might be able to grease the wheels a bit for you. i hope you can get justice, and that the son of a bitch who did this gets all the horrors prison has to "offer"

[littlecait]

I'm so sorry that happened to you. Like others said keep a separate credit card for online purchases- I do that. Set up a separate email account, without your real details, for corresponding with people on here and others who you don't know or trust. Don't  share pictures and other personal info until you know a person is trustworthy. Remember people can do a reverse image search and there are apps too, to find who you are so don't use a pic that you have uploaded to other sites, like Facebook etc. Don't give your phone number to people who you don't know or trust- if you really want to then set up a burner number. Reverse phone number searches give so much of your info- anyone you live with;  whoever has been associated with your address; all email accounts you own or the people you live with; your home address and all previous addresses; family members who you don't live with... I could go on but I'm sure that you get how much personal info people can find just from that one activity! Also, if you want to meet some-one in real life, not giving your real details can go against you- I for one won't meet some-one who I can't verify their real details ( safety reasons.) Establish trust before anything else.

I got 3 fraudulent charges from Lyft once- they start with some small payments before taking a large charge ( to see if you notice.) I filed a police report and reported it to my bank and Lyft. I asked for the name of the person who made the fraudulent charges, from Lyft, but they refused to tell me- client confidentiality! I lost it at that stage! Must say that they were quick to reimburse me and never had the problem again. My bank is very good now at contacting me every time there is a charge from a company or something I haven't used before. Ask your bank to do the same. People have given good advice on here so please use it well and maybe you can prevent this happening again. Good luck with getting your money back?

[blitz1027]

Everything is locked now.  I went by my bank yesterday to ask about some charges that starting popping up a couple days ago.  The teller looked them up and found that someone was physically in a store in Texas using my debit card.  It was absolutely crazy since my debit card was brand spanking new.  I’ve had it literally less than a month and have never used it online.  
 

they red flagged my card and confiscated it.  Gotta go today and get a new one.  Never in my life did I ever think my life would turn out like this

[rusty pins]

6 minutes ago, blitz1027 said:

Everything is locked now.  I went by my bank yesterday to ask about some charges that starting popping up a couple days ago.  The teller looked them up and found that someone was physically in a store in Texas using my debit card.  It was absolutely crazy since my debit card was brand spanking new.  I’ve had it literally less than a month and have never used it online.  
 

they red flagged my card and confiscated it.  Gotta go today and get a new one.  Never in my life did I ever think my life would turn out like this

How are they coming on getting all your money back?

[Cute_Kitten]

This sucks so hard, I'm sorry you're going through this. Virtual hugs, and I hope you can get all your money back. There should be a special place in hell for hackers.  I had my debit card info stolen over the summer (used it at a gas station). Luckily I caught the first charge, only because it was a place I never eat at; I rarely go out to eat (unless the occasional drive thru counts lol! or it's a special occasion). I was out the money stolen, but at least it was a small charge. 

[blitz1027]

2 hours ago, rusty pins said:

How are they coming on getting all your money back?

Currently the only person that seems to care other than myself is the bank teller.  She’s been calling the bank security team and such.  But nothing has happened yet

[WBxx]

I'm a fan of consumer advocate Clark Howard following his advice on freezing credit and using credit card or cash for all purchases.  Unlike debit, with a credit card by law any charge disputed is reversed during investigation.

https://clark.com/credit/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide/
https://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/never-use-debit-card-pay/

[anned]

I had this happen with my internet use only debit card. my bank caught it early because they knew that i only used it for internet and withdraws at my bank ATM.

How someone used it for a motel room and to buy a iPhone without knowing my pin number i don't understand.

it's not like i ever used my pin number everyplace.

The "only" place my pin number was ever used was my bank ATM to check the balance in my account.

[MegaChar]

I think everyone's identity in the US has been stolen at this point considering all the data breaches and card skimmers out there. Do these people understand that the US only has so much wealth available, eventually that "wealth well" is going to dry up and then what?