My digital life has caught up with me.

[Joe Tall]

Someone has stolen my credit card number and maybe my identity. Not only is it a credit card number, it's "THE NUMBER", my Master Money Card number. This is the one that is linked to my Checking Account and is also my ATM. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

Somehow they've obtained my SS number too to varify some of the fraudlent purchaces. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

My bank is on the case, but I wish all of you here never have to go through this, it sucks.

I wish Party Poker could issume me a check book and ATM card and I could live off that account for a while.

That's a digital life, I guess,
Joe Tall

[blueboles]

That's terrible to hear. I hope the catch the sorry SOB who did this. Best of luck,
Kelley

[thomastem]

Very crappy. Just imagining going through that.... Sorry man hope things straighten out.

As for the guy that did this, let's send him to Texas where they still castrate people. If only everyone had a little bit of honor these things wouldn't happen.

All my critters wish you luck getting it straightened out ASAP.

[Joe Tall]

My bank has frozen everything. I have informed the credit bureaus to not extend my credit to anyone without checking. A few of the online-cc-charge companies have already said they would refund my charges.

If you know of anyone that loves kiddie porn, has sent flowers to Vietnam and bought Russian cigarettes in the last 2 days online, PM me.

Thanks,
Joe Tall

[thomastem]

My Possum wants to know how this happened in the first place. Perhaps you can help others avoid the nightmare.

[MaxPower]

Sorry to hear that man. How did you find out about it?

I need to go order a credit report myself.

[Joe Tall]

Well, as most of you, I use online payments for everthing. I pay all my bills online, shop online, buy/take from poker sites online, etc.

Therefore, every morning, when I get up to go to work (5.15AM EST), I check my accounts online to see if anything is out of the ordinary.

Well, yesterday, there was two small ($3.95) charges that didn't look right. So, I called my bank and looked up the charging company's information. I called that company, ccbill.com, and they verified my account information and found some false info (email was not correct, SS was NOT correct, etc) and told me that they would refund the amounts. They also told me that they charges were to online porn sites.

I notified my bank and they told me to go to a branch and file an avidaffit but the branches were closed by the time I got home (I did all of this when I was driving to Albany, NY yesterday)

I was unable to fill out an avidaffit until today. My bank did tell me on the phone that no future new charges could be made but if some where made on 11/4, they would be proccessed today, 11/5.

Then when I awoke today and checked my account again, I almost fainted. Now there are several charges. My bank has frozen everything now as I got to the branch at 9AM when it opened. I have also reached every charging company except for one and all of them have been cooperative.

The one that I have been unable to reach is called Hosting Solutions of Orem, UT. So I did a web search and found this strange web page: Hosting Solutions but not the one I'm looking for... (http://www.hostingsolutions.com/company/contactus.html) .

Seemingly, if you click the link, hosting solutions has done this before if I'm reading into the page correctly.

Now I'm waiting untill 12PM EST to call the number that is on the web page as I have called it already and they do not open until 9AM PST.

I suspect someone has stolen my info online OR when I used my card in Mexico, someone copied the information. ccbill.co and ibillcs.com have told me that they have the ISP addresses of the party to blame and have the means to track such charges, so this could be intesting.

I'll keep you all posted.

I would like to thank MG in NJ for his advice.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[Jim Kuhn]

they were not 'Russian Cigarettes'! They were Hungarian! At least that is what the pop up said!

[Joe Tall]

Hopefully this is the last day of charges.

Late Tuesday night (charges appering today) my little criminal friend charged some phermone cologne, herbal lotions, and tried to find his x-girlfriend on Friendfinder.com.

I been to the bank again and filled out the forms again.

The only good thing that has happened is that I actually recieved a refund from on the kiddie porn mag charge.

So far the total is $787.65. (includes refund)

Good times,
Joe Tall

[Mike Gallo]

Joe,

Identity fraud/theft has become the nations top crime.

Your benevolence helped to reduce the damage.

Store a folder somewhere with all of your incident reports.

I hope when they find the perp, they allow you 10 minutes alone with him.

Good luck, pm me if you need anything.

[Joe Tall]

[ QUOTE ]
they allow you 10 minutes alone with him.

[/ QUOTE ]

God, I hope not, this dude has bought some freaky $hit. Scary even. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Thanks for all your help, MG,
JT

[MaxPower]

What a brilliant criminal. He steals your identity in order to respond to Spam email. What is he going to buy next? Natural Viagra, TrimSpa, and male enlargement cream?

I don't mean to laugh at your misfortune, but I could think of better things to do with your money.

[Tuco]

[ QUOTE ]
What a brilliant criminal. He steals your identity in order to respond to Spam email. What is he going to buy next? Natural Viagra, TrimSpa, and male enlargement cream?


[/ QUOTE ]

Dont forget trying to find his ex-girlfriend. I think even Scooby Doo could solve this mystery.

Tuco.

[Mike Gallo]

Thanks for all your help, MG,

No problem Joe...no problem at all. Glad I could help.

[Losing all]

Kiddie porn, Flowers to Vietnam, Ruskie smokes.. Hmmm sounds like a friggin commie to me. We know how to deal with them basturds in Virginia, just take em fer a ride.

Good luck with your ordeal, and I hope they catch the jag.

[RollaJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Kiddie porn, Flowers to Vietnam, Ruskie smokes.. Hmmm sounds like a friggin commie to me

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like a Vietnamese person to me

[Joe Tall]

[ QUOTE ]
Natural Viagra, TrimSpa, and male enlargement cream?

[/ QUOTE ]


How the hell did you know? Um, Max, I think your are now a suspect. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

$226.56 off this site. (http://www.natural-herbals.com/)

[ QUOTE ]
but I could think of better things to do with your money.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice cover up. But now you're #2 on the list behind Fred G. Sanford. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Peace,
JT

[mosch]

I'm sorry to hear you had to go through this. I had my whole identity stolen before and it absolutely sucks.

I do suggest that you do make sure to file reports with law enforcement, as annoying as they are. In my case, the perpetrator wound up getting arrested and prosecuted; it's not always a waste of time. (though admittedly, at the time it was just one more annoying thing to do, during a time of great annoyance)

[Joe Tall]

As of today I have recieved half of my money back. A quicker response than I expected. The online-vendors have directly credited me with the correct amounts.

I have reached every vendor so far and all of them said that when they receive the bank's affitdavit they'll refund the charges. Some of them have refunded just by doing a verification that did not pass.

I've been issued a new ATM (no more debit cards for me!) by the Bank and things look better. No one has tried to open any accounts that I know of so far. I did notify the credit bureaus to call me for verification if someone tries to open an account. So far so good.

Half way back to normalacy,
Joe Tall

[JoeU]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been issued a new ATM (no more debit cards for me!) by the Bank and things look better.

[/ QUOTE ]

WOW, you're own ATM. I didn't know you had that kind of pull with the bank! Do they stock it for you with those new $20's also. You should be in the home game in no time! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Your Buddy Quincy Carter

[JTrout]

[Joe Tall]

I have recieved 90% of my money back so far. All of it seems directly from the vendors. I have not heard from the bank about the investigation or if any more information has been uncovered. It seems I get another purchase returned everyday.

Oddly, on Friday, one of the packages showed up at my house! I guess they sent the goods to the 'billing address'?!? I have recieved the money back from this vendor but I am going to send the goods back as I haven't opened it.

I have also recieved all my credit reports and so far nothing out of the ordinary.

Peace,
JT

[Joe Tall]

I have 100% of my money back as of yesterday.

90%+ was from the vendors and the Bank has covered the rest. There has been no further details to who the perpetrader is and if I do find out I will update again.

Peace,
JT

[Ragnar]

Joe,

I'm glad that you have had a good result so far. Now you have to maintain vigilance for quite some time. Here are some tips based on my experience when I used to prosecute credit card fraud cases.

Since they had your social security number you are still at risk. I'd check my credit reports every two or three months. One good way to do this is to rotate through the three major services, checking one each two to three months in turn. It is very likely the any new cards, or other scams will show up on all of them.

Also check your new accounts carefully for unauthorized purchases.

I recommend these measures to everyone because of the risk of identity theft, but would only recommend that you check your credit reports yearly unless you know that someone has been using your identity.

Ragnar