Identity Theft Help

HauntedByWaters · Apr 11, 2023

It looks like my wife clicked a scam link at the top of a google search (google now has promoted link scams) and gave it all of my personal information that you wouldn’t want out there while filling out fake forms. This website poses as way to apply for a passport renewal via the internet. So they have everything on me.

I am cancelling my credit cards and freezing my credit at the 3 bureaus. Anything else needed?

Mossback · Apr 11, 2023

This may help...

IdentityTheft.gov

Report identity theft and get a recovery plan

www.identitytheft.gov

When it happened to me I followed your initial steps, then used the link to report and get to the next steps...report the id theft though, get a record of it on file. Years later things can still be out there, having a report on record will make your life easier down the road.
Good luck, no fun for sure.

RCF · Apr 11, 2023

Check/revise your passwords and use 2 factor authentication where ever possible.
Look into credit monitoring companies e.g. Life Lock. There are even some free credit monitoring companies that can/may help e.g. Creditwise at Capital One
Have a fraud alert placed on your credit bureau credit report. It is different than freezing your credit.
Medical care can be charged through identity theft.
Since it is tax time, work with IRS to make sure someone else does not file an false income tax return and get a refund.

Edited to add: Work with your bank and any other places you have money e.g. brokerage house(s) to see if anything needs to be done.

Now that your credit card is locked, determine what companies have automatic payments charged to it. You will need to make changes there to a new credit card number once you get one. Maybe notify all those companies of what is occurring so it will not impact your credit score.

Make a list of everywhere you have saved your credit card number to make purchases faster and easier e.g. Amazon, where you get your prescriptions filled, Costco, Walmart, ---> you the gist of it. These will needed to changed (or not). Consider if you want to keep credit card numbers saved at retailers. IMHO, not a good idea because if you have a data breach of your credit card, you will have to change all of them and that is a lot of work including just figuring out where they are saved.

Lots of luck....

Josh · Apr 11, 2023

HauntedByWaters said:
It looks like my wife clicked a scam link at the top of a google search (google now has promoted link scams) and gave it all of my personal information that you wouldn’t want out there while filling out fake forms. This website poses as way to apply for a passport renewal via the internet. So they have everything on me.

I am cancelling my credit cards and freezing my credit at the 3 bureaus. Anything else needed?

Depending on how extensive the info was, you may need to change security questions for any important accounts.

That said, keep in mind that a LOT of our personal information is out there already to anyone who wants to go through the trouble.

Long_Rod_Silvers · Apr 11, 2023

@HauntedByWaters what was the name of the scam company if you don't mind me asking? Might help someone in a similar position avoid a similar mistake if you share the name.

HauntedByWaters · Apr 11, 2023

krusty · Apr 11, 2023

It would be best to scrub that still hot link. An IT manager at work once forwarded a warning email including a functional link, and several employees immediately clicked on it to view...which downloaded a bunch of malware...shutting a very large network down.

HauntedByWaters · Apr 11, 2023

krusty said:
It would be best to scrub that still hot link. An IT manager at work once forwarded a warning email including a functional link, and several employees immediately clicked on it to view...which downloaded a bunch of malware...shutting a very large network down.

I know Josh the owner of this place well and he is a very tech savvy person. If he wants to scrub that link he can.

krusty · Apr 11, 2023

HauntedByWaters said:
I know Josh the owner of this place well and he is a very tech savvy person. If he wants to scrub that link he can.

So was the IT manager. He didn't think people were stupid enough to click on the link...but they did so without even reading email for context.

Drop 50 thumbdrives in a parking lot and it's virtually guaranteed a bunch of people have to see what's on it.