# About to scream Right Now!



## carouselsilver (Nov 17, 2021)

Yesterday I received a debit card in the mail from a bank that I don't use. This was just the beginning of a nightmare. Apparently the consequences of that Equifax data breach, or some other breach (there are so many) is finally reaching me. I have spent approximately six hours between yesterday and today, doing damage control. I never knew that there were so many idiots placed in charge of our finances! The simplest conversation quickly reaches exceedingly high frustration levels as I have to spell my last name three times, repeat everything 10 times, until I am ready to scream. And we still have to check on my husband's accounts. Anybody else going through this?


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## Knight (Nov 17, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> Yesterday I received a debit card in the mail from a bank that I don't use. This was just the beginning of a nightmare. Apparently the consequences of that Equifax data breach, or some other breach (there are so many) is finally reaching me. I have spent approximately six hours between yesterday and today, doing damage control. I never knew that there were so many idiots placed in charge of our finances! The simplest conversation quickly reaches exceedingly high frustration levels as I have to spell my last name three times, repeat everything 10 times, until I am ready to scream. And we still have to check on my husband's accounts. Anybody else going through this?


Did you have to call to activate the account?


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## Myquest55 (Nov 17, 2021)

We had a credit card breach in the 1990s, haven't had another one - yet.  We did learn a couple of things along the way:   Don't forget to freeze your credit reports and make sure you create a new Code Word or password to access any of your current accounts.   Otherwise, yes, never call to "activate" an unknown account.  I would have just cut the card up and discarded it (pieces in different trash cans).  Good luck and keep us posted.


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## OneEyedDiva (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm not at this time but I've had similar, though not nearly as frustrating interactions with companies. The last time was with Verizon right after I first had Fios installed. Long story, so I won't go into it here. I'm sorry you had to go through that and I hope the issue has been or will soon be resolved.


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## Geezerette (Nov 17, 2021)

Thankfully I haven’t had any credit card breaches and Hope I don’t, but I certainly have dealt with “ the idiots placed in charge of our finances”  in other ways dealing with erroneous charges and what health ins is supposed to cover.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 17, 2021)

Knight said:


> Did you have to call to activate the account?


Yes but I called the bank, not the activation number. They have canceled the card and closed the account.


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## Colleen (Nov 17, 2021)

I think we've all experienced your frustrations at some time or other and with many different companies. If I'm facing a troublesome situation with a billing, etc., I use the chat option as much as possible with the company. It saves me a lot of high blood pressure episodes...except for dealing with DISH! Years ago, we got a phone call from our main CC company to let us know there was unusual activity with our card. I called them back and found out there had been over $5,000 in purchases from several different states. The CC company took care of it and we never heard anything more about it. That CC company has been our main CC for the last several years because of their diligence. Good luck.


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## fmdog44 (Nov 17, 2021)

YES! Especially getting transferred over and over and having to repeat my stuff. On A different slant I ordered something Monday over the phone because the website did not work. After I gave my data to but the sales pitch was  for everything from doubling the order to magazines. I kept having to say "No" over and over until I finally hung up. One "offer" stood out saying if you don't want the automatic monthly fee of so and so call this number. Well, I did not right it down and this was a robot I'm talking to. Then I spoke to a live person.  After I gave all my data she transferred me to a second live rep and Ii was asked to repeat everything . I told him I just gave all that to the person that handed me to him. He said "Oh, yes i see it now". I  just called the business to make sure I won't be getting billed for whatever and they said I won't. We will see. 
    I had a CD with Synchrony Bank and despite me instructing them to cash it out upon maturity I received a letter saying it was renewed for another five years They are a very confused bank sending out alerts on my account when there are no alerts when I go to view them. One more CD matures in 2022 and I m done with them.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 17, 2021)

I was reading about why someone would open a checking account in my name, when they can't get the debit card once it is mailed out. One theory, was that they planned to call me and try to get me to agree to use the account as a "mule" account for them. Now I am getting strange messages on my answering machine, where someone is asking for me, using my first name only on the message and saying nothing further. I am tempted to change my phone number. One of the problems in today's internet world, is that every freaking time you call a bank, credit card issuer, or doctor's office, they want the "last four of your social number." Soon, everyone and their uncle knows it!


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## Colleen (Nov 17, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> I was reading about why someone would open a checking account in my name, when they can't get the debit card once it is mailed out. One theory, was that they planned to call me and try to get me to agree to use the account as a "mule" account for them. Now I am getting strange messages on my answering machine, where someone is asking for me, using my first name only on the message and saying nothing further. I am tempted to change my phone number. One of the problems in today's internet world, is that every freaking time you call a bank, credit card issuer, or doctor's office, they want the "last four of your social number." Soon, everyone and their uncle knows it!


Speaking of robo calls...I keep getting those ridiculous calls that I'm eligible to have my STUDENT LOAD forgiven! Haha...I'm 75. What student loan??? Idiots!


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## WheatenLover (Nov 17, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> I had a CD with Synchrony Bank and despite me instructing them to cash it out upon maturity I received a letter saying it was renewed for another five years They are a very confused bank sending out alerts on my account when there are no alerts when I go to view them. One more CD matures in 2022 and I m done with them.


I spent a lot of time trying to get Synchrony bank to cash out my mom's IRA, which I inherited. They still have the money in my mom's account. My sister tried too, to no avail. I have sent them all their notarized forms twice. Meanwhile, Ally Bank immediately transferred all the money from my mom's account into my account. They are my bank, and I am very pleased with them.

I hate Synchrony Bank. There is not one single thing I've liked about all I've done to get that account squared away.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 17, 2021)

Colleen said:


> Speaking of robo calls...I keep getting those ridiculous calls that I'm eligible to have my STUDENT LOAD forgiven! Haha...I'm 75. What student loan??? Idiots!


Idiots indeed! We used to get calls saying our Apple computer was compromised. My husband told them that we have an Orange computer, and demanded help for it.


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## Lethe200 (Nov 17, 2021)

We "froze" our credit reports years ago. These days it's easy to unlock it temporarily if needed, then lock it back down again. 

We got hit with debit card fraud decades ago. $1200 vanished out of our checking account in 20 minutes. It took us 18 months to recover the funds from our bank. 

Never again!


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## JustBonee (Nov 17, 2021)

> I spent a lot of time trying to get Synchrony bank to cash out my mom's IRA, which I inherited. They still have the money in my mom's account. My sister tried too, to no avail. I have sent them all their notarized forms twice. Meanwhile, Ally Bank immediately transferred all the money from my mom's account into my account. They are my bank, and I am very pleased with them.





WheatenLover said:


> I hate Synchrony Bank. There is not one single thing I've liked about all I've done to get that account squared away.



When my mother died years ago,    I tried closing out her bank  accounts with many road blocks...  and being  half way across the country didn't help.

 I just got a local lawyer (there) to do it all for me.    
Lawyer  got his cut,    and got everything closed out and the money to me  the same day.    Funny how that works!


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## JB in SC (Nov 29, 2021)

Per Lethe200, freeze your credit immediately. A permanent freeze not the 90 day type. You can always unfreeze it for a new lender. You have to contact all three agencies. No new account or credit can be opened with a freeze.


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## dseag2 (Nov 29, 2021)

I feel your pain.  My mother passed away on November 9.  I am named as the trustee on her bank account.  I went with her to open it.  Her account even says "In Trust For".  I went to Bank of America last week and they said they had never processed the paperwork to make me the trustee and they could not close it.  They insisted that I would need to bring in the Death Certificate, which I still have not received.  

She willed her body to UT Southwestern, and between that organization and her hospice doctor they still haven't provided a Death Certificate.  The hospice doctor finally signed off last Wednesday, and of course the UT Southwestern supervisor who needs to complete the paperwork was off for the Thanksgiving holiday.  My mother receives pensions as direct deposits into her bank account, and now I will have to pay them all back after the fact when I could have stopped it after she passed away.  These organizations are staffed with incompetent people.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 29, 2021)

dseag2 said:


> I feel your pain.  My mother passed away on November 9.  I am named as the trustee on her bank account.  I went with her to open it.  Her account even says "In Trust For".  I went to Bank of America last week and they said they had never processed the paperwork to make me the trustee and they could not close it.  They insisted that I would need to bring in the Death Certificate, which I still have not received.
> 
> She willed her body to UT Southwestern, and between that organization and her hospice doctor they still haven't provided a Death Certificate.  The hospice doctor finally signed off last Wednesday, and of course the UT Southwestern supervisor who needs to complete the paperwork was off for the Thanksgiving holiday.  My mother receives pensions as direct deposits into her bank account, and now I will have to pay them all back after the fact when I could have stopped it after she passed away.  These organizations are staffed with incompetent people.


It's amazing how incompetent people are! When my father passed away, he left me a small sum from his pension. I had to fight with the pension people for four months to get that money. It wasn't until I mentioned getting an attorney that they suddenly stopped stalling and coughed it up. What ever happened to taking pride in one's job? People seem to want outdo each other with shoddy job performance.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 29, 2021)

JB in SC said:


> Per Lethe200, freeze your credit immediately. A permanent freeze not the 90 day type. You can always unfreeze it for a new lender. You have to contact all three agencies. No new account or credit can be opened with a freeze.


Done. I urged my husband to do the same, before something happens.


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## OneEyedDiva (Nov 29, 2021)

Colleen said:


> I think we've all experienced your frustrations at some time or other and with many different companies. If I'm facing a troublesome situation with a billing, etc., I use the chat option as much as possible with the company. It saves me a lot of high blood pressure episodes...except for dealing with DISH! Years ago, we got a phone call from our main CC company to let us know there was unusual activity with our card. I called them back and found out there had been over $5,000 in purchases from several different states. The CC company took care of it and we never heard anything more about it. That CC company has been our main CC for the last several years because of their diligence. Good luck.


One thing I like about the chat feature is that I can screen shot the important parts as proof of what I was told. During the Verizon issue I spent about an hour on the chat which proved almost futile and still had to call a rep the next day to settle things. I say almost futile because the chat was used as notes for the rep to refer to, which did save a little time on the call. She was an angel and resolved the issue to my satisfaction.


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## Nathan (Nov 29, 2021)

Lethe200 said:


> We "froze" our credit reports years ago. These days it's easy to unlock it temporarily if needed, then lock it back down again.


Our credit is frozen / locked down, did it free, directly dealing with the 3 credit agencies.    Briefly unlocked for a vehicle purchase a couple years ago, immediately re-locked.


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## Tom 86 (Nov 30, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> Yesterday I received a debit card in the mail from a bank that I don't use. This was just the beginning of a nightmare. Apparently the consequences of that Equifax data breach, or some other breach (there are so many) is finally reaching me. I have spent approximately six hours between yesterday and today, doing damage control. I never knew that there were so many idiots placed in charge of our finances! The simplest conversation quickly reaches exceedingly high frustration levels as I have to spell my last name three times, repeat everything 10 times, until I am ready to scream. And we still have to check on my husband's accounts. Anybody else going through this?


I feel your pain.  After my Fraud boo boo  I had to cancel my credit cards.  I got new ones by FedEx yesterday.  Was a piece of cake authorizing the Discover card. Well, the one at my bank is still not working.  I called the number on the card.  Had to wait 32 minutes for a woman to answer. 

She could NOT find this card.  I gave her the number probably 5 times same with my last name had to spell it many times.  Then she wanted to know what was the number on the card that was canceled by the fraud team.  I told her I don't have it as Kim told me to shred it so I did.

  Well after about another 15 minutes she said she found it & it was activated & I could use it.  This morning I went into my bank account online to pay some bills My regular checking account is GONE! She re-activated the old card that the fraud Kim had closed.  
  No way people can get into any of my accounts as I put a freeze on all cards about 15 years ago when someone tried to buy at TV down in Fl. on my Discover card.  They called me to make sure it was me that was buying this?  I said no.  So they closed that card, sent me a new one & helped me freeze all three credit report places.

  So this morning I start calling the Fraud phone number for my bank & try to get this all straightened out.  I'm about ready to give up on all electronic things & go back to paying bills by snail mail.


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## Tom 86 (Nov 30, 2021)

Nathan said:


> Our credit is frozen / locked down, did it free, directly dealing with the 3 credit agencies.    Briefly unlocked for a vehicle purchase a couple years ago, immediately re-locked.


That's what I had to do 2 years ago when I bought my Durango.  I went in & unfroze all three for 2 days so the car place could check my credit, then it automatically closed again two days later.


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## carouselsilver (Nov 30, 2021)

I did a little research and found that the bank that issued this unauthorized debit card has been involved in scams involving this exact thing. They were sued in a class action lawsuit, for opening accounts without permission. And yet here it is again. I don't think any other identity theft is involved, which makes them directly responsible. I'd had all 3 credit accounts frozen already and followed all the instructions from the government identity theft website, which narrows things down to this one bank.

What disturbs me is that having credit frozen does not protect against debit cards and checking accounts being opened without my knowledge!


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## Tom 86 (Nov 30, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> What disturbs me is that having credit frozen does not protect against debit cards and checking accounts being opened without my knowledge!


That's why my bank people had me separate all my accounts years ago.  None are linked to the others.  I have very little cash in debit card.  The woman said we can also secure it so no one can get any info from it to open any other accounts. 

  My bank is very good about updating me about how to keep things secure & no one can get anything without my approval.
  They did help me get my DIL on my Debit card so she can buy groceries for me when I need things lately.  Course she has all my power of attorneys for banking & medical.  If I'm incapacitated she has the power to pay my bills.

  The last two times I went to the hospital for surgeries (gall bladder & Turp) she had to sign all the documents for the surgeries.  They said I was on high power pain meds & I can not legally sign for myself. A person has to be off that pain meds from the hospital for 48 hrs before it's legal for me to sign any paperwork.  This is from the hospitals here.


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## Jace (Nov 30, 2021)

Hi!
I have empathy for all..who have been scammed and those that the "buggers"
have tried to...
"You" can never be too careful..with all the unscrupulousness "out there"
The title of this thread.is so relatable.
The house land-line gets s-o-o many robo calls..it's ridiculous!
(I'm careful who I give my cell phone # to.)
Having called my phone co. For a solution to the robo calls..
Told..if you pick it up.. don't speak...just hit any button
and hold it for 10 seconds....it indicates to 
"the big computer in the sky" that it's a fax no.
This seems...to have worked..
Hope it's helpful to someone else.


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## RadishRose (Nov 30, 2021)

@Jace thanks!


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## carouselsilver (Nov 30, 2021)

I'm gonna try that, Jace! Thanks!


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## Jace (Nov 30, 2021)

It may or may not work with your phone co..we're.....L.L=Verizon(East coast)

But what could it hurt to try!

Good Luck!

Hey! Carouselsil..I'm originally from Eastern Pa.,too.."many moons ago".
Nice to meetcha' !


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## carouselsilver (Nov 30, 2021)

Jace said:


> It may or may not work with your phone co..we're.....L.L=Verizon(East coast)
> 
> But what could it hurt to try!
> 
> ...


Hi! nice to meet you too!


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## Tom 86 (Dec 2, 2021)

Another good thing to watch this time of year.

  Your credit cards.  I have one at Best Buy, where I buy all my electronics & kitchen stuff.  

  I have not used this card in the past year when I bought my TV.  Well, Monday I got a snail mail bill from best Buy.  It has $208.64 charged on it. I went online & it only said "for service pending" 

  So I called Best Buy  Had to go through many people & one even left his mike open when he said he was going to put me in a different Dept for my problem.  He said to someone "maybe if we wait long enough he'll hang up."  Waited about 10 minutes then he did transfer me to the credit card?? Dept.  

  There this woman said can I help you.  I said yes, what is this $208.64 on the card that I have not used in a year.  She was typing & finally said this is for future services at your house if needed.  I said WHAT?  She said this is in case you need a tech to come & help set up your WiFi to your TV or to others.   I said how much is a standard cost without this service?   She said this service will drop your service call from $100.00 down to $80.00 for the next year.

  I told her to cancel this as I can either set it up myself or I have a friend that is great with WiFi setup.  She him hawed around but I finally got this charge taken off.

  So again this time of year people are tired & not watching their C.C.'s real close & there can be extra charges put on & you go ahead & pay off the card.  I was lucky as only one charge on this card.


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## StarSong (Dec 2, 2021)

Tom 86 said:


> Another good thing to watch this time of year.
> 
> Your credit cards.  I have one at Best Buy, where I buy all my electronics & kitchen stuff.
> 
> ...


That's outrageous, Tom!  Have you cancelled the CC?  (That would have been my next phone call...)


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## Tom 86 (Dec 2, 2021)

StarSong said:


> That's outrageous, Tom!  Have you cancelled the CC?  (That would have been my next phone call...)


No, I have not canceled it.  The reason is it does give me good benefits when I buy electronics or like a microwave for over the stove.  Lowers the price & also gives me a longer warranty for no cost. Even most times it's free installation, since I live 20 miles from the store they remove the delivery fee.   This is the first time in 5 years they have done this.


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## Colleen (Dec 2, 2021)

Tom 86 said:


> No, I have not canceled it.  The reason is it does give me good benefits when I buy electronics or like a microwave for over the stove.  Lowers the price & also gives me a longer warranty for no cost. Even most times it's free installation, since I live 20 miles from the store they remove the delivery fee.   This is the first time in 5 years they have done this.


I would cancel this card immediately and if you need/want something from them, I'd use a CC that gives you cash back.


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## Tom 86 (Dec 2, 2021)

Colleen said:


> I would cancel this card immediately and if you need/want something from them, I'd use a CC that gives you cash back.


Good point.  I'll do that as soon as I get off here.   Thanks.  I can count on good information here.


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## carouselsilver (Dec 2, 2021)

Well, in yesterday's mail, I got another letter from _another _bank, telling me about my new checking account! Of course I did not open this one either. What the hell is going on?


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## StarSong (Dec 2, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> Well, in yesterday's mail, I got another letter from _another _bank, telling me about my new checking account! Of course I did not open this one either. What the hell is going on?


Is there any money in it?


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## carouselsilver (Dec 2, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Is there any money in it?


No, but I have heard about things like this happening where the person who opened the account will cause an overdraft.


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## Devi (Dec 2, 2021)

I'd think it would be best to contact the new bank and straighten things out — before the scammer uses the account to do (whatever it is they intend to do) that could impact you.

Sorry this is happening to you.


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## StarSong (Dec 2, 2021)

carouselsilver said:


> No, but I have heard about things like this happening where the person who opened the account will cause an overdraft.


I didn't know one could open a checking account without funding it.  Interesting.  

Sounds to me like you've had your identity stolen. Not sure how you get alerts attached to your name and ID, but if it were me wearing your shoes I'd get in touch with a bank officer and one of the big credit watching companies. These actions could come back to haunt you. 

If the fraudsters are using your mailing address, it's probably time for a locking mailbox or other means of thwarting them from getting their hands on mail that they're intentionally having sent to your true address. I'd talk to an official at your local post office about this. Maybe stop mail delivery and go to the PO 1-2 times a week to get your mail in person.


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## carouselsilver (Dec 2, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I didn't know one could open a checking account without funding it.  Interesting.
> 
> Sounds to me like you've had your identity stolen. Not sure how you get alerts attached to your name and ID, but if it were me wearing your shoes I'd get in touch with a bank officer and one of the big credit watching companies. These actions could come back to haunt you.
> 
> If the fraudsters are using your mailing address, it's probably time for a locking mailbox or other means of thwarting them from getting their hands on mail that they're intentionally having sent to your true address. I'd talk to an official at your local post office about this. Maybe stop mail delivery and go to the PO 1-2 times a week to get your mail in person.


My mail gets dropped directly through a slot in my front door. I have been reading about cases where the banks themselves are opening these accounts. Wells Fargo had to pay out a huge lawsuit about three years ago. I just spoke to a snarky woman at the bank who said that I didn't need to speak to someone in the fraud department. She took down some information about the account. Then she refused to mail a letter saying that the account was closed.


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## caroln (Dec 2, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I didn't know one could open a checking account without funding it.  Interesting.
> 
> Sounds to me like you've had your identity stolen. Not sure how you get alerts attached to your name and ID, but if it were me wearing your shoes I'd get in touch with a bank officer and one of the big credit watching companies. These actions could come back to haunt you.
> 
> If the fraudsters are using your mailing address, it's probably time for a locking mailbox or other means of thwarting them from getting their hands on mail that they're intentionally having sent to your true address. I'd talk to an official at your local post office about this. Maybe stop mail delivery and go to the PO 1-2 times a week to get your mail in person.





carouselsilver said:


> My mail gets dropped directly through a slot in my front door. I have been reading about cases where the banks themselves are opening these accounts. Wells Fargo had to pay out a huge lawsuit about three years ago. I just spoke to a snarky woman at the bank who said that I didn't need to speak to someone in the fraud department. She took down some information about the account. Then she refused to mail a letter saying that the account was closed.


Sounds like it's time to contact the Federal Reserve.  They police the banks and and help people with banks that violate the banking laws and regulations.  They may refer you to another agency for resolution of certain matters.


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## carouselsilver (Dec 2, 2021)

caroln said:


> Sounds like it's time to contact the Federal Reserve.  They police the banks and and help people with banks that violate the banking laws and regulations.  They may refer you to another agency for resolution of certain matters.


Thanks, I will definitely check into that.


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## Colleen (Dec 2, 2021)

Tom 86 said:


> Good point.  I'll do that as soon as I get off here.   Thanks.  I can count on good information here.


Glad I could help. We've had a Discover card for many years and I get cash back to use on my balance (if I have one) or it can be used on Amazon as a credit when you order something.

A few years ago, we got a call from Discover telling us that they noticed unusual activity on our card and wanted to know if we had been in CA and FL recently and charged over $5,000 worth of merchandise. Of course, we hadn't been in those states and hadn't made purchases. They said they would take care of it and we never heard another word. They sent us new cards. I appreciated them monitoring our card and alerting us that something suspicious was going on.


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## carouselsilver (Dec 3, 2021)

I have also reported both incidents to the FBI. They have a department that deals with fraud committed using the internet.


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