FRAUD ALERT! Advice needed.

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I was just informed by my employer that almost 70 checks that were to be mailed out to employees, like me, were stolen at the post office, they have put a trace back on them in the event that thieves try and cash them, and the employer has since made out new checks to replace the stolen ones, so we get paid.

What concerns me most about my check being stolen is

1) It has my full name and address on it
2) My employers name and address on it
3) Of course the weekly pay amount I receive

4) The last four digits of my SSN.


I'm thinking that someone could try and use that info to open up credit card accounts or get a loan.

Should I be so concerned that I put a credit freeze on my account information with the credit reporting agencies or am I over reacting about this. Since they do not have my entire SSN .

Really looking for good advice on this .

TIA
 
They can't get far with half your SSN. But do do a fraud report on your credit.

While they can't apply for credit successfully with half your SSN, they might mess with something you already have, with telephone social engineering. IE they'll call your bank and have your mail rerouted, pretending to be you, with the operator (sometimes) asking the last 4 digits.
 
I actually did call my bank and put a fraud flag on my account, they never use just the last four digits of your SSN to confirm your identity thank goodness.

I'm just about to call the three credit agencies agencies now.
 
Another question, I just added a 90 day fraud alert on my credit report with Experian, they tell me that they will share this alert with the other two reporting agencies TransUnion and Equifax.

Should I still report my request for a fraud alert directly to those other two agencies or should I be ok relying on Experian to communicate the alert?
 
Anyone I notified by phone should have an old time snail mail followup with you keeping a copy. An email followup is also cheap. Store the e-mail print out on paper in a long time secure area. Try to note, time, phone number, name or i.d., etc. Hopefully no problems but having solid info on hand might prevent various firms from "forgetting" you called. Sometimes the firms even say a phone call will not legally notify them. Just a thought.
 
When you call the reporting agencies they all use automated systems.

I suppose I could do this online, I did receive a confirmation number from Experian.


Just to clarify, as far as I now know, NO ACTUAL fraudulent activity has occured. Just trying to get a jump on anything that might happen.

I'm hoping that these thieves just want to try and forge my signature and try and cash the check....a crime of opportunity maybe. I wonder how my of my coworkers will sense the possible danger in the other possibilities? I hope they are taking the same precautions.

Another question, how long does it take to get car loan processed? It's been so long since I did that I forget the time frame. I know that it takes around a couple of months at times to process a credit card application so that is one positive.
 
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Thanks for the advice dtt004!

I feel a little bit stupid on this account. My employer has offered the electronic payment plan for some time but I have never had any concern and never had a lost or stolen check until now.

Definitely going to do that !
 
Some companies have mandated the electronic deposit for checks.
If the system is time tested, that's the way to go. I check my deposits on-line every month.

Unless you are going to be purchasing any large item or getting a mortgage anytime soon, put a freeze on all three reporting agencies.
There's a small fee. That locks them up for good until YOU un-freeze them for a substantial reason.
 
If I do the freeze it doesn't impact any regular purchases on my credit cards like groceries or gas, purchases under 100 bucks a charge? I don't think it does, but not sure.
 
You can still use your credit card just not open any new lines of credit. Getting a 'real' check is so 1985. Get direct deposit and view your pay stub (statements) online.

I would be more worried if a person was stealing your mail.
 
Does the postal service have something equivalent. Another words can I put a freeze on anyone trying to make a change of address for my mail?
 
I've seen direct deposit pay stubs (with dummy checks) that have all the info you'd get with a live check. But at least you could shred them at work before you leave.

A worry would be making a fake ID with the name and address from the stub, then using the ID and stub to get instant credit at Sears or something.
 
One thing that is a positive today is that in general it is almost impossible to get that "instant" credit that you once could maybe five years ago when banks were not even looking at the applications for the most part.

Today I think there is not too great a chance of this and thankfully since you can do the fraud alert and freezes pretty easily it will be extremely difficult to get anything approved.

Even Sears or other independent credit providers check with the three credit bureaus and I've been informed by a professional fraud prevention officer that it will be denied automatically.

I hope that my coworkers that also had their checks stolen have taken some action!
 
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Interestingly when I called my employer to get further clarification of exactly what happened, the office manager was not willing to give any details other than the possibility that the checks were stolen then she added something about the checks being lost, (freudian slip?) and that a trace back had applied to them.

I was actually kind of annoyed that she wouldn't give me further details since maybe the checks were misplaced and not actually stolen after all??? I certainly would had made me breathe a bit easier! Maybe they were just erring on the side of caution assuming the worst.
 
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Originally Posted By: sandy_d
Interestingly when I called my employer to get further clarification of exactly what happened, the office manager was not willing to give any details other than the possibility that the checks were stolen then she added something about the checks being lost, (freudian slip?) and that a trace back had applied to them.

I was actually kind of annoyed that she wouldn't give me further details since maybe the checks were misplaced and not actually stolen after all??? I certainly would had made me breathe a bit easier! Maybe they were just erring on the side of caution assuming the worst.


maybe they are ashamed of their incompetence.
 
Originally Posted By: CivicFan


maybe they are ashamed of their incompetence.


Normally I would be annoyed by this, but in this case I would be relieved if it was just LOST items and not actually stolen!
wink.gif


I can hope.
 
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