talkmagic.co.uk

... well. Just when I thought things couldnt get much worse, I get a phone call from the bank to say ive had my identity stolen.

Luckily the guy was arrested on friday, and my bank account has been blocked since. It appears they havent had chance to use my card, but its bleedin scary stuff!

But, wanting to lighten the whole thing up, does anybody have any good identity theft jokes? I think it would be a nice addition to the act!


Mark

My debit card number was found on a list of numbers by police when they raided an organised gang's hideout (as I believe these things are described). My card was blocked and I had to wait several days for a new card to arrive. This kind of thing is becoming more and more common - it was so much easier with good old cash!

The worst thing is im going on a business trip to London tomorrow. Because my card has been blocked, I dont have access to cash, and cant use my card to make payments. Ive been told I will get my new card and pin number on wednesday, but I cant physically survive for 3 days without money.


Not good!

You need to go to a bank, explain the situation (they'll have all the details on their computers) and draw cash out on your cheque book.

The trick "Credit Card Fraud" (where you peel the magnetic strip off a credit card) might be made into something about identity theft. You could say peeling the strip off makes it unstealable or something.

I've had my card cloned twice now, the first time they managed to clock up a £700 bill at an online shoeshop in the states (and yes, I'm sure that it wasn't me).

And the second time I caught it early with a £1.50 charge, apparently according to the back they usually do a couple of small, tester transactions to see if the card's working and if anyone's watching it.

This is not aimed at anyone specific, so please no one take this personally.

It never ceases to amaze me, in this day and age, how many people 1) can't be bothered to shread sensitive documents before binning them and 2) can't be bothered to check statements every month. These are two of the most basic precautions everyone should be taking, yet speaking to friends and colleagues, hardly anyone does this so I must be the only one. I also never let my card out of my sight when paying the bill in a restaurant. I'm not saying doing the above will mean you will never be a victim of ID theft, but it has to go some way in helping to prevent it.

Generally, people just don't take enough responsibility for their own actions (or lack of) and it's always someone elses fault when things go wrong.

What amuses me is at what point plain old nasty credit card fraud (or, stealing money) became the more glamorous sounding "identity theft", as if it's something out of James Bond or the Bourne films!

Surely "identity theft" is a Talented Mr. Ripley affair, where they start to move into your house, play with your kids and get intimate with your wife? Skimming someone's card details and stealing from them is, well... stealing. Or fraud. A lot less intriguing.

"Pick a card, any card."

Just don't let your audience take it too literally.

how about from scalliwagga "pin number 4378... I'm right though arn't i" hold up hand "don't answer me just leave me a big tip (wink)"
i shredd my documents then use the shreddings for my guinee pigs, if anyone wan'ts to go through there c*** (not the best) to piece tougether my details then there welcome to them.

the thing that anoys me most is the major organisations that you have to give your details to them by law only for them to "loose" your details in the post and you end up on someones spam list.
paranoid i maybey but it seems awfly convinent that they can't sell on you details but they can be lost.

the bloke I look after hads his personal details stollen by the landlord who had his own key, who spread his details around and bad mouthed us to other landlords and agencys, what did the police do, nothing they called it cival.

I work in customer service and have NEVER had a single adult cover the keypad when entering their debit/credit pin number!!! Interestingly enough a 16year old lad did yesterday though. One time a young kid sitting on the counter tried to cover the display while his dad put the number in. His dad pushed his hand away and told him not to be so 'silly' :S

I shred all my mail. Its a habit Iv got into because Iv always lived with other people in a shared house. Its a good job that I do as well because one 'housemate' tried to apply for credit in my name!!! He was refused but he WAS allowed to tranfer several of his debts into my name by signing my name on documents. The signiture looked NOTHING like mine because hes never seen my signiture to be able to copy it. The transfers went through and left several utility companys with very red faces after I proved I had nothing to do with it. It proves its easily done though

some friends of mine wrote a cheque and signed it "bugs bunny" just to check how careful they are - it still got cashed!

years ago, my nan accidentially picked up her daughters (my aunties)cheque book insted of her own. She signed 'A G###d' when the name on the cheques was 'J G###d' and yet all the cheques cashed!

In defence of the banks (I must be going bananas), they cannot possibly check every single cheque they receive, especially if the cheque is of relatively low value. With the sheer volume they deal with, they just don't have time to look at every cheque that comes through the system. My wife used to work in a bank and they were under constant, tremendous pressure to get as many things done as quickly as possible. Unless you actually work in that sort of environment, it's hard to appreciate just how difficult it can be.

A significant number of bank customers take no responsibility for their personal finances and it is always the bank's fault when things go wrong or an unexpected charge crops up. Sometimes it is the bank who are at fault, but not always. Take the recent trend to reclaim bank charges as an example. If I have been unfairly charged by my bank, I will be first in line to get it refunded. But believe it or not, some people actually deserve to be hit with charges for any number of reasons. I just think there are two sides to every story and people should not be so quick to jump on the banks because sometimes, just sometimes, they are actually right in their course of action.

I have to put in a word of praise for Capital One and their very proactive security people. If any transactions look slightly dodgy, they phone us immediately to check it's OK. This included when we bought new mobile phones (apparently a top item for stolen cards) and again when I used the card in several different places in a very short time (spending spree!).