Banks make it easy for ID thieves
September 20, 2005 by Mike Wendland
Know those so-called convenience checks that you keep getting, totally unsolicited, from credit card companies each month as an inducement to get you to go deeper into debt? They even print those checks up with your name and address to make it so easy.
Thieves used those checks to bilk my neighbor and myself out of more than $10,000.
I wrote last month about the theft of my mail from the box out in front of my Oakland County house. The same thief apparently stole my next-door neighbor’s mail, too. I noted in that column how I had an ominous feeling about it. I was right. MIKE WENDLAND: My identity was stolen; yours could be next
There is nothing you can do about your mail being stolen, but you certainly can check your account balances online instead of waiting for the statements.
You might be able to put a freeze on your account for the convenience checks, too.
Also invest in a cross-cut shredder for the ones you do receive. Destroy all pre-approved card applications.
By the way, thank the Lord you didn’t have any checks arrive for a DEBIT account. At least with credit the money isn’t yours. If they were debit card checks, your money would be gone!
Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I also use to receive those convenience checks from Chase Visa. Aware of the trouble it could cause, I first called Chase customer service and requested they cease sending checks to me in the mail. I then followed up with a written letter. Two months later I again received some checks in the mail! Thereafter, I threatened to cancel my Chase account if they did not stop. After about 3-4 months Chase finally stopped sending me checks in the mail.
Stay on top of the problem Mike, and check your credit report every 6 months for the next couple of years, to ensure that Chase or any other creditor does not ?ding? you for this mess. Chase also has a web site whereby you can view and download your statement, and pay your credit card on-line. This is a big help as you can stop the paper trail from coming to your home mailbox entirely. I am able to spot very quickly if fraudulent charges appear on my account as all charges can be viewed online within
24-48 hours.
Mike: Technically, your ID was not stolen. Nobody is going around opening accounts, getting drivers License, social security cards, passports, etc. in your name.
The victims of credit card thefts are the retail merchants who accept the credit cards (or checks) without following proceedure. They are the ones who don’t get paid by the cc companies.