<p>D had her wallet lost/stolen on Friday night in Los Angeles. We’re currently debating whether she should request a fraud alert vs. a security freeze. Her wallet contained a credit card (we cancelled), a USC credit union debit card (also cancelled after great effort–offices closed over weekends & NO ONE answers), her driver’s license with HI address, her medical insurance card (which has a new number rather than the one that was on her card). Not quite sure what else was in the wallet but no SS number.</p>
<p>We’re trying to decide whether she should have a security freeze or fraud alert placed with the three credit bureaus. Her USC debit card was already used on Saturday to charge $15 from In & Out Burgers. S has since moved all the funds from her checking account to her savings account, where it SHOULD be safe.</p>
<p>Does anyone have suggestions? She has filed a police report. I’ve asked her to amend it to include that someone used it for the $15 In & Out Burgers purchase without her authorization. Does that make her a victim of identity theft? Does someone have to actually apply for credit in her name for ID theft? I’m sorry, I’m fuzzy about all of this.</p>
<p>Thanks for any help. For anyone stuck in similar situation, I’d advise you to call the toll-free MasterCard (or Visa or AmEx) number when you just keep getting recordings from a credit union, bank, or elsewhere and can’t speak to a live person. I only figured it out 24-hours AFTER I went into the endless loop with the credit union’s menuing options. ICK!</p>
<p>Spoke with a burglary victim (home was burgled taking computers, various financial docs, various cards, SSNs & various other things from her, hubby & their sons). She says that they put on a security freeze and then paid for a service to monitor their credit. They have forgotten/lost the password and can’t figure out how to access the system but still are being billed for the monthly charge :(. She says she did ahve a security freeze but it was too tough to purchase online, so they decided to to the monitoring service.</p>
<p>Within hours after her wallet was stolen, she was called by her debit card company. The thief had withdrawn $500 from 3 separate ATMs and they wanted to know if that was really her. She told them she had been burgled & was still sorting out what was missing. They reimbursed her for the $1500 but never caught the burglars.</p>
<p>She said with the security freeze they had, it was difficult/impossible to purchase things on-line, which is why they discontinued it & instead are paying for the service they no longer can access!</p>
<p>I think I’ll advise D to put a fraud alert onto her credit report instead. It seems like it will be less onerous for her everyday activities & they DON’T have her SSN.</p>
<p>Anyone with thoughts or experience? Thanks!</p>
<p>When our kid’s credit card number was used by someone else, we notified the fraud department and THEY put a fraud alert on the card. Actually they shut it down and issued DD another card. We had to dispute the charges that were made (a headache but we did it). </p>
<p>Just make sure you notified the proper place at the credit card company of the theft. I believe our kids’ accounts say within a certain number of hours of having the card disappear…once notified, all charges are not held against you.</p>
<p>Yea, no problem with the regular credit card (they had people on phone 24/7 to report lost/stolen credit cards), but real hassle trying to connect with ANYONE at the credit union. The folks I spoke with at MasterCard also agreed that there was no one at the credit union to speak with over the weekend (wallet stolen Friday night, of course). Oh well, D is learning how much hassle this all is. We sent e-mails & made phone calls immediately, leaving messages with the credit union. ARG!</p>
<p>The thief/thieves also stole their computers, so perhaps the PINs were on the computer, I really don’t know & never got details. I know that sometimes when I use my debit card and use it as a charge card at the checkout stand (I know this is a different situation & I have never withdrawn cash), I don’t need any PIN and am able to charge, often without any signature either.</p>
<p>HiMom, When they get their new computers they should create a password protected log in to the machine. That way NO ONE would be able to easily get into their data.</p>
<p>Where was the computer and wallet that they all got stolen? Were these left unattended or in an unlocked place?</p>
<p>Our bank has a limit on the daily withdrawals from an ATM. And they also have a limit of $300 per withdrawal. Sometimes it’s annoying but I see now why they are good.</p>
<p>For the friend who had so much taken, the burglars came into their home & took what they wanted. I don’t have the details about their computers–one was pretty new & was school property. Don’t know all the other things that were taken & it took my friend a while to compile the list of everything that had been taken. The computers were NOT locked, as it was in their locked home. This happened a few years back & she was surprised & grateful that the bank contacted her about the ATM so they could stop future losses.</p>
<p>OK, the latest is an e-mail from D–wallet was FOUND in one of the cars! Now, I guess she needs to decide whether to remove the fraud alert from her account or just leave it there for the next 90 days. She has learned quite a bit about the hassles of losing a wallet now; much more than she wanted to, I’m sure!</p>
<p>Yea, she sheepishly realized that they didn’t post the transaction until significantly after they had consumed the burgers & it had been THEIR purchase, much before the wallet went missing. I had thought the wallet would turn up in the car (didn’t know there were several involved), and am relieved that she has learned a few lessons (we hope) and MAY start being a bit more careful about her possessions (especially the wallet). KIDS!</p>
<p>It’s a lesson learned but also good news for her. I’m glad it was just ‘temporarily displaced’. Kids! - but…somehow I managed to drop my wallet in a strip mall parking lot but luckily a pizza hut delivery driver found it, called me, and delivered it to me - complete with the hundred or so in cash I had in it. I thanked him for his honesty and tipped him a 20. Adults!</p>
<p>Wow, that was a good deed of the delivery driver! You probably doubled his tips for the day (if not the week). I admit I have misplaced my possessions but generally know that they’re somewhere around my home (or car). It is tougher when you ride in several different cars & clothing for females rarely has decent pockets that can securely hold things such as wallets>!>!!</p>
<p>Glad you got your wallet back–the hassle & ID theft factors are worse than losing any $$$ (though the $$$ will also be missed).</p>
We sent e-mails & made phone calls immediately, leaving messages with the credit union. ARG!</p>