Identity theft
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I was once a new-resident of the US. It doesn't take long to 'get credit'. Just borrow a small amount of money ($2-3,000) for something like a very cheap car. Pay it back over a period of 3/4 months (based on your affordability, of course!). After two payments, someone will give you a $500 credit card. Get one of those. Max it out on stuff and pay it down a couple of times. Hey presto! Instant credit! You'll be flooded with credit cards in the post now :-) I understand the reluctance to give new residents credit - I mean, if you're new in the country, how is a credit provider going to know that you are going to stick around. Not many debts can be chased across national borders.
Bruce Chapman iFinity.com.au - Websites and Software Development Plithy remark available in Beta 2
brucerchapman wrote:
I understand the reluctance to give new residents credit - I mean, if you're new in the country, how is a credit provider going to know that you are going to stick around. Not many debts can be chased across national borders.
True - I understand why they are reluctant. :-)
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
Yup, that's something surprising when you're new to the US. Have you heard of the credit bureaus? They collect datas about you when you do some credit related activities. Using some algorithm they rate you with a number. Based on that number the creditor will determine how they charge you, or if they will do business with you. By default, no credit means bad credit, so you have to be patient and build yourself a good credit history. There are some traps with this. For example, each time you ask for a credit it is written in your file, and if you do this too frequently it lowers your score. This is like a vicious circle. You're new, you keep on asking for credit and being rejected, and this lowers your score... The worse is, it is hard to be informed about that, and people get trapped easily. Also when you go get credit the sales person pulls off your credit report, and most of the time hides it from you!! In the fine lines they usually tell you this, but this is weird to see someone getting your credit report and preveting you from accessing your own datas!!! Still I used to live in the US a couple of years ago, so this might have changed. I have heard there is now a federal law that says everyone is entitled to a free credit report, each year.
Pierre Leclercq wrote:
Also when you go get credit the sales person pulls off your credit report, and most of the time hides it from you!! In the fine lines they usually tell you this, but this is weird to see someone getting your credit report and preveting you from accessing your own datas!!!
Yes, that shocked me. The rental lady pulled my credit report, and refused to divulge it to me. :omg:
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
Pierre Leclercq wrote:
Also when you go get credit the sales person pulls off your credit report, and most of the time hides it from you!! In the fine lines they usually tell you this, but this is weird to see someone getting your credit report and preveting you from accessing your own datas!!!
Yes, that shocked me. The rental lady pulled my credit report, and refused to divulge it to me. :omg:
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)When I was in this situation of trying to buy a car, I did a loan application on a paper sheet, and then someone typed it. At that time I was not aware of the credit bureaus. This is only later when I finally acquired a credit report, I discovered the person who had typed the loan infos had mispelled my last name. And how strange it might look, the credit bureau had recorded this as a new name listed under my SSN!!! I come from a country where changing name is not meant to happen, and this was a very big surprise that their databases record false datas without even trying to verify them. Afterwards that sounds scary. Some employers do background checks on their employees. They can easily pull data from various types of databases. I wonder how this can impact employee reviews when they find all sorts of incorrect datas. Hopefully, in most of the case they are honest and can sort through the incorrect infos.
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Pierre Leclercq wrote:
Also when you go get credit the sales person pulls off your credit report, and most of the time hides it from you!! In the fine lines they usually tell you this, but this is weird to see someone getting your credit report and preveting you from accessing your own datas!!!
Yes, that shocked me. The rental lady pulled my credit report, and refused to divulge it to me. :omg:
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
About a month ago our flat was broken into. My wallet was stolen with my drivers licence, credit cards and other bits and my girld friends purse with the same things, her birth certificate and an expired passport. She got a phone call from GE consumer finance today as someone had attempted to obtain credit in her name using the stolen identification. I've contacted the credit reference authority here and paid $80 for each of us to have our files flagged so that we will recieve an email every time a company attempts to obtain our credit details. The whole situation has got me a bit worried. Any idea what else I can do?
System.IO.Path.IsPathRooted() does not behave as I would expect
Josh Gray wrote:
She got a phone call from GE consumer finance today as someone had attempted to obtain credit in her name using the stolen identification.
That stinks. Good luck, My wifes wallet was stolen back in 1992 and 2 local stores still will not take her check/credit card, due to identity questions. (well not sure how long ago we last tried. :) )
Josh Gray wrote:
I've contacted the credit reference authority here and paid $80 for each of us to have our files flag
That also stinks, here in the states the authorities may not charge a fee. Although plenty of companies provide the assitance to notify for a fee.
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Th report companies make thier money selling the numbers to creditors and consumers. Their contract probably precludes showing it to you at all.
-- Rules of thumb should not be taken for the whole hand.
dan neely wrote:
Th report companies make thier money selling the numbers to creditors and consumers. Their contract probably precludes showing it to you at all.
Yeah, that sounds like it.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
When I was in this situation of trying to buy a car, I did a loan application on a paper sheet, and then someone typed it. At that time I was not aware of the credit bureaus. This is only later when I finally acquired a credit report, I discovered the person who had typed the loan infos had mispelled my last name. And how strange it might look, the credit bureau had recorded this as a new name listed under my SSN!!! I come from a country where changing name is not meant to happen, and this was a very big surprise that their databases record false datas without even trying to verify them. Afterwards that sounds scary. Some employers do background checks on their employees. They can easily pull data from various types of databases. I wonder how this can impact employee reviews when they find all sorts of incorrect datas. Hopefully, in most of the case they are honest and can sort through the incorrect infos.
Pierre Leclercq wrote:
And how strange it might look, the credit bureau had recorded this as a new name listed under my SSN!!!
That *is* scary!!!
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
Christian Graus wrote:
The system is designed to give credit, not limit it.
That has not been my experience so far. As someone new to the States, I have been automatically categorized as a potential bad credit guy. Whatever happened to innocent-until-proven-guilty? :-(
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)If you're not a citizen established in this country, then you are flight risk. That's one of the highest risks in the credit game - that the person may take off to another country and never be heard from again. It's nothing about you personally, which is usually what they consider.
"Quality Software since 1983!" http://www.smoothjazzy.com/
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Their simple gimmick is to keep you on CONTINUOUS fraud alert - when the 90-day limit expires, they set the alerts again. Fraud-alert-inflation, but the guarantee sounds good to me !
pg--az
On the news a couple nights back, they talked about these companies that promise to get your identity back or protect it in the first place. The consensus was that these companies are either in bed with the criminals in the first place, or they offer a service you could do for yourself for less money. Make sure they detail exactly what services they are providing. If it's simply checking your credit report every so often, you can do that yourself for free. Many banks also offer services to prevent fraud.
"Quality Software since 1983!" http://www.smoothjazzy.com/
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Whatever happened to innocent-until-proven-guilty?
No credit is just as bad as bad credit. You need a credit history is all.
Jeremy Falcon A multithreaded, OpenGL-enabled application.[^]
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
You need a credit history is all
Eh?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I, for one, welcome our new shrew-sized overlords. -
On the news a couple nights back, they talked about these companies that promise to get your identity back or protect it in the first place. The consensus was that these companies are either in bed with the criminals in the first place, or they offer a service you could do for yourself for less money. Make sure they detail exactly what services they are providing. If it's simply checking your credit report every so often, you can do that yourself for free. Many banks also offer services to prevent fraud.
"Quality Software since 1983!" http://www.smoothjazzy.com/
My few months experience with lifelock.com indicates They seem to be successful with the "continuous fraud alert" I know this because I have now received my second batch of "you are on fraud alert" notifications. Like I say the ultimate effect of this "Fraud Alert Inflation" may not be good, that is, if 100% of consumers were on continuous fraud alert, it would have no value. But in the meantime, this fraud alert seems likely to have some value. Secondly, I don't get hardly any credit-card-invites in the mail anymore They were successful in taking me of the list for those. I still get a couple from my alumni-association-memberships, that is somewhat different. Plus which googling lifelock or following their press-links, the "consensus" is they must have fooled CNN and ABC, etc.
pg--az
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Jeremy Falcon wrote:
You need a credit history is all
Eh?
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I, for one, welcome our new shrew-sized overlords.David Wulff wrote:
Eh?
Over here at least your credit score is determined by how much credit you have. It's kind a catch-22.
Jeremy Falcon A multithreaded, OpenGL-enabled application.[^]
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My few months experience with lifelock.com indicates They seem to be successful with the "continuous fraud alert" I know this because I have now received my second batch of "you are on fraud alert" notifications. Like I say the ultimate effect of this "Fraud Alert Inflation" may not be good, that is, if 100% of consumers were on continuous fraud alert, it would have no value. But in the meantime, this fraud alert seems likely to have some value. Secondly, I don't get hardly any credit-card-invites in the mail anymore They were successful in taking me of the list for those. I still get a couple from my alumni-association-memberships, that is somewhat different. Plus which googling lifelock or following their press-links, the "consensus" is they must have fooled CNN and ABC, etc.
pg--az
I'm not saying they're worthless, just suspicious. Removal from the mailing lists is a nice feature. You should commit some fraud and see if they catch it. Sending you notices doesn't mean they are actually doing anything but sending out notices. The whole company could be a kid in his mom's basement sending out reminder emails. (Lifelock seems to be legit) This is an effort to protect you from a crime. I was under the impression that there was already a group of folks who are supposed to protect us from crimes. This service is kind of like having a burglar alarm I think... but what happens when it goes off? Also you should keep in mind that I know nothing about this specific company. I'm only passing on a warning about this type of company. (I saw this warning either on Jim Lehrer or my local news, not sure which but those are the only ones I watch) I hope you realise the falsehood in the last sentence you said there...
"Quality Software since 1983!" http://www.smoothjazzy.com/
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Very true that this how the world works!!! I suppose people live with things like this, but it should change depending on the circumstances you're in. This poor soul has had a crime committed against him... shouldn't this become an exception for help? It's fair to say I'd trust my own programs given decent testing! But I haven't looked into (or thought) how a program like this might work, it's just something off the cuff and I'd need to put a lot of thought into it. I don't actually know how Norton's password management works to be honest; I should have a try of it before I pass it off!
It's a really interesting idea - an idea for a colabarative project! Feel like starting it? I'm game if you are.
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brucerchapman wrote:
Just borrow a small amount of money ($2-3,000) for something like a very cheap car. Pay it back over a period of 3/4 months (based on your affordability, of course!). After two payments, someone will give you a $500 credit card. Get one of those. Max it out on stuff and pay it down a couple of times. Hey presto! Instant credit! You'll be flooded with credit cards in the post now
Thanks for the tip. I have a car already (drove it from Canada). So I can't get a car loan. But I'll see if I can get a personal loan of some sort.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*)Hi Nish, Try getting a secure credit card. Any of the bank would approve a secure credit card with very limited credit on it, as long as you have enough money to cover it in a bank account with them. And just use that credit card for your regular bill payments for few months and you will have enough credit to get a regular credit card. Ankita
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Hi Nish, Try getting a secure credit card. Any of the bank would approve a secure credit card with very limited credit on it, as long as you have enough money to cover it in a bank account with them. And just use that credit card for your regular bill payments for few months and you will have enough credit to get a regular credit card. Ankita
ankita patel wrote:
Try getting a secure credit card. Any of the bank would approve a secure credit card with very limited credit on it, as long as you have enough money to cover it in a bank account with them. And just use that credit card for your regular bill payments for few months and you will have enough credit to get a regular credit card.
Thanks Ankita. That's what I am going to do now.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. (*Sample chapter available online*) -
David Wulff wrote:
Eh?
Over here at least your credit score is determined by how much credit you have. It's kind a catch-22.
Jeremy Falcon A multithreaded, OpenGL-enabled application.[^]
The eh was because I dind't understand what you said. I am not familiar with the term "is all".
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I, for one, welcome our new shrew-sized overlords. -
The eh was because I dind't understand what you said. I am not familiar with the term "is all".
Ðavid Wulff What kind of music to programmers listen to?
Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
I, for one, welcome our new shrew-sized overlords.David Wulff wrote:
I am not familiar with the term "is all".
Ah. It just means that's the only thing stopping him. It's not because he's Indian but because of no credit history over here. Only need to change that and things will get better.
Jeremy Falcon A multithreaded, OpenGL-enabled application.[^]
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It's nothing personal. At least I don't think it is. Six years ago I bought my house and a credit check showed my credit rating to be just shy of 800. A year later I got my first name changed and two months after that went to get buy a car. My credit report came back "Limited credit history." Apparently my credit wasn't tracked by my Social Security number. Lilith
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I'm not saying they're worthless, just suspicious. Removal from the mailing lists is a nice feature. You should commit some fraud and see if they catch it. Sending you notices doesn't mean they are actually doing anything but sending out notices. The whole company could be a kid in his mom's basement sending out reminder emails. (Lifelock seems to be legit) This is an effort to protect you from a crime. I was under the impression that there was already a group of folks who are supposed to protect us from crimes. This service is kind of like having a burglar alarm I think... but what happens when it goes off? Also you should keep in mind that I know nothing about this specific company. I'm only passing on a warning about this type of company. (I saw this warning either on Jim Lehrer or my local news, not sure which but those are the only ones I watch) I hope you realise the falsehood in the last sentence you said there...
"Quality Software since 1983!" http://www.smoothjazzy.com/
>> I was under the impression that there was already a group of folks who are supposed to protect us from crimes. << The subject warned the reader, that at your invitation, we now venture outside the box, we dare to question "what, a box, who put us in this box ?" I can't remember the name of the PBS video in which they show that while ducks have simple pair-bonding software, ( I saw the video, "believe it or not" ) ostriches WILL trust one mommy to guard the eggs of the entire gang of ostrich-moms. Hence, as proved on tape, mommy ostriches have evolved to be able to tell which eggs are HERS, when resources become scarce. Recently I asked this question of PBS, no response yet: http://discussions.pbs.org/viewforum.pbs?f=175&sid=8fc27c9e364d8ac394c871c58a8e2b9e Monopolies intrinsically tend to rot, and government falls into that category, sigh. But you have probably also thought deeply on this, your "under the impression" suggests tongue-in-cheek, right ?
pg--az