Since I moved to Colorado, my mother has been mailing me anything sent to the house in NY. The last manila envelope she sent my way apparently contained some addresses for my Thank You Cards, my W2 Forms, and a couple of bank statements. WELL - when it arrived on Monday, it ONLY contained the addresses in it. My W2 Forms & the Bank Statements were missing. I called my mother to ask if she sent them separate, but she is 99% certain that they were all in the same envelope. I don't know why she didn't tape this one up (she usually does). She thinks she did secure it with extra tape, but I dont remember there being any on it when I received it, and there's no way that tape could have been take off without tearing it. And the envelope was clearly sealed when I received it and is still without any tears. So now I'm facing the fact that somebody may have opened my mail and stolen those forms.
I REALLY don't know what to do. I mean, those forms have all my information on them - my SS#, address (the one in NY at least), birthdate. I mean, the things a person could do with this! I already called my bank and they put an alert on my account, but what if some freak tries to use my info to open a credit card or do something stupid with ANOTHER bank? I don't know if that alert is ONLY for my one bank or if it's for my information in general, ya know? I'm so at a loss of things to do. Any advice???
I'm so disgusted that somebody would open somebody's envelope at random and take something out. W*T*F??? DH doesn't seem to think this is the case, but what else can be assumed if I don't have it and my mother is sooooo sure that she sent it in that same envelope. Grr. What do I do to protect myself??? I just don't know.
Mici n KC
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Re: I don't know what to do
You have to contact one of the credit reporting agencies and they will do the rest. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is equifax. Get on it NOW!
agraydc
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Re: I don't know what to do
i dont know what to tell you to do except enroll in one of the credit monitoring programs so they have to call you for any sort of credit related thing and only you can give permission....sorry and good luck...i hope everything works out for you
RockysGirl
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Re: I don't know what to do
thanks I'll look into it and talk to DH. What a pain. I can't believe that happened. I really hope it turns up - that my mother just THINKS she sent it.
SusiBtoM
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Re: I don't know what to do
Posted by Mici n KC
You have to contact one of the credit reporting agencies and they will do the rest. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is equifax. Get on it NOW!
Experian and Trans Union are the other two major ones. I'd call all three of them.
eta : let the credit companies know that your mail was tampered with and your personal info is out there. You want them to put a fraud alert on your account so that no one can open credit in your name. Ask how long the fraud alert is valid for. Sometimes it is only good for 6 months. Change your bank accounts too, close the current ones and open new ones. For the checking account, leave enough to cover any outstanding checks there may be. File a report with the Postmaster General and find out if you can file a police report too, this way you have backup just in case you become a victim of identity theft. HOPEFULLY NOT ! I'd also check with SS if there is anything they need to know, just in case someone tries to get duplicate card.
Here's hoping that your mom forgot, and the 'missing' mail turns up !
bluekat16
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Re: I don't know what to do
Contact the postmaster and file a complaint, also the three credit reporting agencies. All you info is on your W2's so def. leave no stone un-turned.
RockysGirl
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Re: I don't know what to do
isn't FreeCreditReport one of those??? I'm always seeing commercials for them. Or is that something different?
SusiBtoM
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Re: I don't know what to do
Posted by RockysGirl
isn't FreeCreditReport one of those??? I'm always seeing commercials for them. Or is that something different?
Just contact the big three directly. Experian 888 397 3742 Trans Union 888 909-8872 Equifax 888-766-0008
When creditors check your credit, they get the info from the three. FreeCreditReport just consolidates the info, they have nothing to do with your credit score and the info contained within the reports. Any changes would have to be made thru Experian/TransUnion/Equifax
RockysGirl
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Re: I don't know what to do
Posted by SusiBtoM
Posted by RockysGirl
isn't FreeCreditReport one of those??? I'm always seeing commercials for them. Or is that something different?
Just contact the big three directly. Experian 888 397 3742 Trans Union 888 909-8872 Equifax 888-766-0008
When creditors check your credit, they get the info from the three. FreeCreditReport just consolidates the info, they have nothing to do with your credit score and the info contained within the reports. Any changes would have to be made thru Experian/TransUnion/Equifax
but wouldn't I then have to sign up for each one of these and pay a monthly fee? That'll add up to way too much if I do a payment with all three of these. Or is that not the way it works?
