Someone stole Nathan's SS card

[nathansmom]

I've been waiting for Nathan's SS card to come for 4 months now. Yesterday I talked to a mother who had her baby the same day as I did and she told me her daughters card came 2 weeks later. So I called the SSA and found out that the mailed Nathan's card on 2/14. They recommended getting a credit report on Nathan's number. I drove to the credit bureau yesterday afternoon and told them what happened. They pulled all 3 credit reports for me (free of charge) and turns out someone stole Nathan's card.

This person/people have accounts totaling over $10,000 on Nathan's name. I have filed a police report but was told they seldom catch these people. Now we get to fight to clear up Nathan's credit.

[brubeck]

My question is how did they steal the card? Did they steal it from the SS office on the way to be mailed (more likely), from the post office (less likely), or from your mailbox (you decide how likely)? If it was stolen from the SS office I would just demand a new number NOW. I know they do this in extreme situations and frankly I think this is one.

I would also contact the people who gave 'Nathan' credit and ask them why they did this for a baby who is less than 1 year old.

[jojo2324]

Wow, Norah, that stinks!! I'm so sorry.

I would fight tooth and nail to get Nathan a new number and do whatever you can to clear his name/credit.

[celfsh]

Huh? That is unbelievable! I never cease to be amazed at how unscrupulous some people can be! So sorry this is happening--hope you get things worked out soon!

celeste
mom to olivia 9/25/02
http://homepage.mac.com/the_big_fish

[kransden]

What a horrible disaster. I would try EVERYTHING to get him a new number. That would be so much easier in the long run than trying to fix the mess with the current number. I had a friend who had hers stolen. It took her over 3 years and it still isn't completely fixed.
Karin
Katie 10/24/02

[mamahill]

The SSA rarely gives out new numbers because they lose all information on that person and basically reduces them to an infant. So in Nathan's case, I don't think it would be a problem!

If they still refuse, then you have some work ahead of you. Email me separately and I can tell you EXACTLY what you need to do, if you don't already know. DH and I were victims last year and "they" rang up over $15,000 in our names. We probably spent about $75 in administrative fees to clear it up, but we're all clear now!

Here's a link to some great information that we used last year. It's California-based, but it still has some great information...

http://www.privacyprotection.ca.gov/identitytheft.htm

Make sure you contact each credit bureau and notify them of the fraudulent accounts. Then use the Identity Theft Affidavit for each account and call to ask for someone in their fraud dept to get a fax number to send it right over. That way there is little to no delay in them receiving it.

I could go on with more details, but perhaps you already know. Like I said, email (or call) me if you have questions. I'd be happy to help anyone. It's a nasty situation and I would love to help anyone avoid it!

So sorry you're going through this - that's terrible!

[sweetbasil]

Norah,
I'm so sorry you all are having to deal with this. There's nothing I've experienced that's much more violating than having my identity stolen (twice now), so I can only imagine how much more magnified your feelings must be, since it happened to you and your baby! Take care- I hope things get cleared up soon!

Hugs,

[StaceyKim]

I am glad you posted this because I still haven't gotten my DS ss card yet! I am going to call and find out where it is!

[mama2be]

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
I just can't even believe this...and how would they have even known you were expecting a SS card??? I just can't beleive it...how awful. I'd hope it will be easiser to fight in that Nathan certaintly is not addicted to shopping yet...this is awful, I so feel for you...

They are probably banking on you not realizing it...I'm impressed you thought to call and follow up I would have not have even thought to do that. Iw onder if they catch them actually using the cards...

[ddmarsh]

Sarah and Julie - Do either of you have any idea how they obtained your info?

Debbie

[mamahill]

Nope, because the people who took ours had fake driver's licenses made up with our license numbers. They even had my old address, along with our ssns. We can tell from the purchases that it was mostly in the LA and Las Vegas areas, though. But if you go to Yahoo and type in "personal information" or "people search" there are hundreds of site boasting to have tons of personal information they're willing to sell to you for a fee.

Also, from the research I have done, a lot of identity theft is an inside job. Just think about where all of your personal information is kept - anywhere you fill out an application (job, doctor, insurance co, credit card co, etc.). There was a recent article about busboys in high-end restaurants in Beverly Hills who would take the credit card copies with the full numbers and go on shopping sprees thinking the "rich people" wouldn't notice. Take note of your receipts when you sign and black out if they print the entire number.

[Shirale]

Oh my G-d, that is SO SO SO scary....what a world....I hope that you can quickly fix the problem....eeek, thanks for warning the rest of us!

[egoldber]

The other thing that is really popular for identity theft is for someone to fill out a forwarding address card for just ONE of the adult members in a household. You would certainly notice if BOTH of you stopped getting your mail, but if only one of you stops getting mail, then it may not be noticed for a few weeks. Certainly plenty of time for them to get access to lots of your financial information. I think it is truly scary how easy it is for ANYONE to go into the post office, fill out a chang of address card for your name, and PRESTO, they start getting your mail.

[lvp49]

When you fill out a change of address card, they are supposed to send notification to your old address before any mail is actually forwarded. This will usually arrive well before the mail is actually forwarded because it is sent from the post office that receives the card. The forwarded mail takes much longer because it goes back to the sorting center. Or at least this is what I have been told.
I have moved several times, and the card has always arrived at my old address quickly.

[egoldber]

Now that you say that, I do seem to remember getting one of these the last time we moved. I saw a special on 60 minutes several years ago on identity theft and this was the method they used. I am wondering if this is a fairly recent change. And I would have to admit that my mail occasionally piles up and I might not see a card! :)

[JustMare]

Oh Norah, I can't believe this!! I really hope you can get him a new number.

I'm also impressed that you remembered to call and follow up on the card. That was smart thinking.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this!

Why do bad things have to happen to good people?

[sweetbasil]

The first time, my wallet was stolen--- they only made $3000 in purchases before my credit card company realized my cards were getting lots more use than normal (between 11am-4pm the same day!). I was so mad- my SS Card had actually been in my wallet, because that very day was the day the HR lady at my office needed to add a copy of my social to my employee file. So this clown walks in off the street(posing as an applicant for a position- I met her and even talked with her!), goes into my office, finds my purse, takes out the wallet, and has waaaay more fun than she ever would have if she would've been hired....But that was a credit-card ring going in Dallas/Ft. Worth at the time. They had the gall to call us that night at home, posing as a credit card company that had heard we needed a new credit account, and could offer it to us instantly over the phone, if they just had my mother's maiden name. They still had enough, though, to open a cell phone account and several other lines of credit, the most recent of which I just found out about in February 2003 (and this happened back in April 1999)!

The second time, I have no idea how they got our info. My credit card company called me at home on Friday at 5pm, the weekend before Valentines, to verify an internet charge of $5000. I'm thinkin', "Lucky me, a great present for Valentine's Day!" but they tell me it's a charge in Zaire. I denied authorization for the charge, and they said they'd watch the acct. When DH got home, he asked if it was a really nice present for him for Valentine's Day. I would've laughed, but had hoped for the same for myself ;) After a week, they logged 4 more attempts at charges all in the range of $5000-8000 each (though our credit limit wouldn't have allowed for that much!), and the card was cancelled. Our credit card company said there's no way to know how they got the card, who they were, etc., but that any charge from Zaire is automatically flagged as a potential card "hijacking", because they're so frequent there.

One nice side benefit, though (probably the only one) is that when the credit bureaus have your account flagged, you can't get instant credit at a store for 8 years (I think), because the credit company has to be able to speak to you at your home number to verify the application. Nice, because we don't want (or need) more credit cards. And hassles like this, we're glad we've only got two anyway!

[COElizabeth]

Norah,

What a pain! I can't believe that! I hope things get sorted out quickly.

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[beckyr88]

Stacey,

Just so you know, it took about 2 1/2 months to get Stella's SSN....And we had trouble with our insurance without it, which turned into a real pain. I wouldn't worry TOO much, as I heard Chicago takes forever, but you should probably look into it, just to be safe. Hopefully, it's in the mail!!!!

[chrissyhowie]

This is so frightening to hear! I am so sorry that you have to go through this! It truly is sad that we as law-abiding citizens have to worry about protecting ourselves so much. I hope things get cleared up quickly and efficiently. I applaud you for taking action when you realized that something might be fishy!

[mharling]

Stacey -
You're probably OK. We're also in the Chicago area and ds's came yesterday. I was just getting ready to call too! The hospital did the 'application' automatically. Is that your case as well?

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b33928e40550

[Melanie]

Poor lil' guy! I hope you get it all sorted out, but what a pain for you.

So is it a BAD idea to carry around SS cards?

[sweetbasil]

Melanie,
Yes! We keep ours in safe deposit boxes, unless we know we're about to need them, but take them back as soon as possible. They're just safer there, and that's one less piece of presonal information some whacko could get to!