potential identity theft

[daverabbit]

Need a bit of help. Anyone have any idea what should be done to possibly prevent identity theft from happening? Anyone have any experience with it? Last night someone went into both my wife's car and mine. They didn't take anything of much value, they didn't grab our radar detectors or the bluetooth speakerphone I have but they did take my owners manual which had a lot of info in it about my mother in law, since we bought the car from them. Also took some paperwork from my wife's car that might have had information in it about us. I've heard commercials for Life Lock and things of that nature but don't know much about it. Feeling a bit helpless so just wanted to throw it out there and see if you guys had any ideas. Appreciate the help. Also appreciate shitty sarcastic remarks to make me laugh.

 

[danielrbischoff]

The only thing you can really do is change passwords and monitor your finances/credit score closely. Watching for any activity you didn't initiate is your best bet. I wouldn't sign up for Life Lock or any of that other stuff, but that's just me.

Honestly when the great PSN theft occurred my response was "please steal my identity, take my student loans, my credit card debt, and have fun" so maybe I'm not the best person to give advice on this.

 

[used44]

Your financial institutions should have measures in place to help you. Give them a heads up now, and keep a close eye on all your charges.

Creepy stuff.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

This is actually a huge thing right now. On top of that there are people who are stealing garage openers and your registration and just going back to your house, opening the garage and looting. Do what dan said and call your financial institutions and get ready to abandon a lot of passwords and IDs forever. Went through this last year and being honest, you'll get through it. Make sure to take out necessary cash right now because they don't loan it to you should anything happen.

 

[madster111]

Call anywhere with your info you deem important and make sure the info that was stolen can't get the people through the security questions.
Change passwords and contact your bank and ask them to keep an eye on the accounts, etc.

Protip: Get a good, locking mailbox to ensure they don't get more info, start checking to make sure your house isn't getting broken into for more stolen info.

 

[Sourdeez]

Life Lock?

 

[DocMoc]

I know the feeling.

The branch of the government of Ontario that is responsible for student loans lost a hard drive with the personal information of 600,000 students. I being one of them.

What I found out that financial institutions or the companies that look after credit scores/checks can put a flag on your file that instructs any financial institution to ask for more identification when applying for any type of credit. The premise being only you would be able to satisfy the need for six different pieces of identification.

It's good though. I just applied for a mortgage and they did ask me. So at least I know it works.

Talk with your financial institution and try calling the credit bureau..

 

[daverabbit]

Thanks for the feedback. Notified the proper people and now just fingers crossed that nothing really happens. Life lock is basically insurance for your identity. Who knows how much it works but it's probably mostly a scam. Didn't go that route.

 

[MattAY]

Fingers crossed for you dave. Sounds like things will be fine either way since you notified the right people etc, just a bit of a ball ache if something does happen obviously.