I don't know if anyone can answer this here or not but here goes... sorry this is a bit long.
Last spring I lost my driver's license (on a plane). I gave up the search with the airline and got a replacement at the dmv. I didn't think much of it until I got a voicemail many months later from Costco saying "we found your license come and pick it up" while I was away on vacation. We called immediately after getting the message but someone already picked it up. Costco says there is no account under my name so the person isn't using it to purchase items under my name so we let it go but have been keeping a very close eye on credit cards and mail.
The license expired in Dec so I had to get a renewal. I figured that would be the end of someone trying to use my id. However, in the last couple of months we have received amongst the other billion pieces of junkmail, pre-approved credit card applications in someone else's name, but my (and my husband's) address. The first we thought was nothing. The second prompted a call to MasterCard blahblahblah (can't recall the bank that the offer was from) and the rep on the phone was very helpful. She verified the person's name on the mail we received and confirmed that that name was NOT attached to my SSN. She didn't know why we got the mail but asked we send it to them so they could look it up. My husband was tired that day so tossed it in the trash. Fast forward to another piece of junkmail today - same name and our address. Now husband is worried.
My husband thinks it may be tied to my lost driver license. I think not since identity or id theft would generally mean they are using my name but a different address, not a different name with my address. That or we are talking about a pretty stupid would-be criminal in this scenario. Talk about being unclear on the concept. I think my husband is just being paranoid.
I don't really think there is much legal action or even protection I can do at this point since my identity hasn't been stolen as far as I can prove to anyone. We did a re-fi on our mortgage just a couple months ago and it was all peachy keen - I have excellent credit. All I can really see is that someone is assigned our address, but then again, we get mail for other people as well. I think what is freaking my husband out is that it's the same name now a couple of times.
From your legal perspective, would you be worried? I am being naive? Is my husband being paranoid? What are my options really anyway? I think I can call the 3 credit bureaus and ask for a "fraud watch" - is that right? What is that exactly and does it cost anything?
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
S
Last spring I lost my driver's license (on a plane). I gave up the search with the airline and got a replacement at the dmv. I didn't think much of it until I got a voicemail many months later from Costco saying "we found your license come and pick it up" while I was away on vacation. We called immediately after getting the message but someone already picked it up. Costco says there is no account under my name so the person isn't using it to purchase items under my name so we let it go but have been keeping a very close eye on credit cards and mail.
The license expired in Dec so I had to get a renewal. I figured that would be the end of someone trying to use my id. However, in the last couple of months we have received amongst the other billion pieces of junkmail, pre-approved credit card applications in someone else's name, but my (and my husband's) address. The first we thought was nothing. The second prompted a call to MasterCard blahblahblah (can't recall the bank that the offer was from) and the rep on the phone was very helpful. She verified the person's name on the mail we received and confirmed that that name was NOT attached to my SSN. She didn't know why we got the mail but asked we send it to them so they could look it up. My husband was tired that day so tossed it in the trash. Fast forward to another piece of junkmail today - same name and our address. Now husband is worried.
My husband thinks it may be tied to my lost driver license. I think not since identity or id theft would generally mean they are using my name but a different address, not a different name with my address. That or we are talking about a pretty stupid would-be criminal in this scenario. Talk about being unclear on the concept. I think my husband is just being paranoid.
I don't really think there is much legal action or even protection I can do at this point since my identity hasn't been stolen as far as I can prove to anyone. We did a re-fi on our mortgage just a couple months ago and it was all peachy keen - I have excellent credit. All I can really see is that someone is assigned our address, but then again, we get mail for other people as well. I think what is freaking my husband out is that it's the same name now a couple of times.
From your legal perspective, would you be worried? I am being naive? Is my husband being paranoid? What are my options really anyway? I think I can call the 3 credit bureaus and ask for a "fraud watch" - is that right? What is that exactly and does it cost anything?
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
S
