I had my identity thieved!

[Mtns2Skies]

I called Paypal and they denied my fraud claim. It wasn't until USAA said to **** off, they said "oh look we have a fraud claim, but there was literally nothing we could do." Ebay's security is terrible, and Paypal's ethics are questionable.
http://www.paypalsucks.com/

 

[Ted]

The problem with PayPal and eBay is they’re so large and universal, they know most people will use them regardless of how bad they are. I’m really sick of eBay, but in many cases there are no viable alternatives (although Amazon is getting there).

I don’t like either of them.

 

[aftCG]

I don't use eBay a whole bunch but one thing I've never done is click the button that ties your eBay account to PayPal so it's "convenient" every time. Had the OP done the same this thread wouldn't exist.

I also never respond to "give us more information about you so we can protect your identity". Read: give us even more information about you that can be breached in the near future. Or sold to third parties.

I've got a 20 year old password I use for places like this .I have individual and MUCH better passwords for anything having to do with money.

 

[Mtns2Skies]

I've got a 20 year old password I use for places like this .I have individual and MUCH better passwords for anything having to do with money.

I turned on 2 step verification on everything after this happened. Also I love the Citabria in your picture. Which model is it?

 

[asicer]

The problem with PayPal and eBay is they’re so large and universal, they know most people will use them regardless of how bad they are. I’m really sick of eBay, but in many cases there are no viable alternatives (although Amazon is getting there).

I don’t like either of them.

eBay is dumping PayPal for Adyen, so half your problems will soon be gone.

Or get a lot worse.

 

[steingar]

First of all, if you had/have a checking or savings account associated with your PayPal account, you should contact the bank or credit union just to make sure there were no unauthorized transactions. Also, although PayPal doesn't show the entire bank account number in the Web GUI, they do show the name of the institution and the last few digits. That's probably more information than you want some random miscreant to have. Personally, I'd consider closing the account and creating a new one.

Did all this within the first 5 minutes. I'm beginning to think that we'll all wind up back to paper and pen.

Secondly, you need to address the question of how said miscreant got access to your account. Unless you used a trivially weak password, I'm sorry to inform you that this may be only one of many accounts that were compromised. I'd check all of them for unauthorized activity and keep a close eye on them for the next few months. I'd also consider getting the number(s) changed on any plastic that was associated with your PayPal account. Again, they only show the last four digits; but it's a piece of a puzzle that you probably don't want out there.

Probably not a bad idea to get a new credit card, though I'll probably blow it on the new PIN. I've had the same one for a long time. Still, not a bad idea at all. My password was a long way from trivial, but it was also a long way from bulletproof. Always a battle having passwords complex enough to defeat the forces of evil for sufficiently facile to be remembered.

Finally, file a police report. Chances are that the local police won't be able to do anything about something like this. File a report anyway. If anything comes of it in the future, you'll need that report on file.

Where's the hysterically laughing smiley when I need one. The cops couldn't catch the guy who robbed a bank right in front of me.

I've been through this **** more times than I want to think about. I've learned that paranoia is sometimes a good thing.

I'm beginning to think that we'll all wind up back to paper and pen.

 

[Everskyward]

I'm beginning to think that we'll all wind up back to paper and pen.

There's quite a bit of information about you printed on your check, and do you think your bank actually verifies your signature?

 

[denverpilot]

Where's the hysterically laughing smiley when I need one. The cops couldn't catch the guy who robbed a bank right in front of me.



I'm beginning to think that we'll all wind up back to paper and pen.

Don’t laugh too hard on the police report. It’s usually required for any insurance claims that result from identity theft, and if someone is being targeted the first incident usually isn’t the last.

In your case I doubt you’re being targeted. But just mentioning it because the targeted folks I’ve helped clean up machines that are infected with crap, etc... had to show a pattern of behavior from the criminal. So the first police report wasn’t useless. Or the fifth. Or the tenth.

Useless as far as the police actually catching the criminal, definitely. Not useless for their coverage.

Many homeowners insurance policies and renters policies now include some low dollar amount ID theft coverage at no additional cost. Worth a look at your policy. Even if you don’t have an ID theft specific coverage policy.

I’d be with you on paper and pen coming back for everything but every telephone is now a check cashing device.

All someone has to do is steal the paper checks or make reasonable fakes of yours and shoot a cell phone photo of one filled out. The bank won’t bother to look at your signature or anything like that until you call and say your account is lower than it should be.

People don’t notice until they reconcile their statements. Or, you’re a smart monkey and you have an alert set for ANY transaction above $0.00 and keep an eye on them.

There’s pretty much no getting away from the stupidity of electronic banking at this point. Withdrawing too much cash triggers mandatory reporting to the gub’mint too. They don’t like people having cash.

 

[RJM62]

Don’t laugh too hard on the police report. It’s usually required for any insurance claims that result from identity theft, and if someone is being targeted the first incident usually isn’t the last.

In your case I doubt you’re being targeted. But just mentioning it because the targeted folks I’ve helped clean up machines that are infected with crap, etc... had to show a pattern of behavior from the criminal. So the first police report wasn’t useless. Or the fifth. Or the tenth.

Useless as far as the police actually catching the criminal, definitely. Not useless for their coverage.

Many homeowners insurance policies and renters policies now include some low dollar amount ID theft coverage at no additional cost. Worth a look at your policy. Even if you don’t have an ID theft specific coverage policy.

I’d be with you on paper and pen coming back for everything but every telephone is now a check cashing device.

All someone has to do is steal the paper checks or make reasonable fakes of yours and shoot a cell phone photo of one filled out. The bank won’t bother to look at your signature or anything like that until you call and say your account is lower than it should be.

People don’t notice until they reconcile their statements. Or, you’re a smart monkey and you have an alert set for ANY transaction above $0.00 and keep an eye on them.

There’s pretty much no getting away from the stupidity of electronic banking at this point. Withdrawing too much cash triggers mandatory reporting to the gub’mint too. They don’t like people having cash.

Thanks for saving me the typing.

I stopped counting how many times I've been through this when it hit a dozen. I even had someone file tax returns in my name last year. Literally any compensation beyond the free credit monitoring that is routinely offered will require a police report. It doesn't matter if they're the Keystone Kops. You need the paper.

That being said, I love my county's Sheriff's Department and never cease to be amazed at how good they are at so many things. But even if they were morons, I still would file police reports every time this happens.

As for electronic banking, it's a love / hate relationship for me. Today I had a check for $22.56 I needed to deposit. It was nice not to have to drive 54 miles to do it. But yeah, the vulnerability to fraud is ginormous.

Rich

 

[Dave Theisen]

If I was going to steal someone's identity, it'd be someone with a newer plane!

 

[aftCG]

I turned on 2 step verification on everything after this happened. Also I love the Citabria in your picture. Which model is it?

That's my 7ECA that has been converted to 150hp Lycoming. On rare occasions I wish it had another seat or was side by side. Mostly I'm happy as f*** to own a plane that is so much fun and cheap to operate

 

[Palmpilot]

How does engineering sound respectable?

to all you engineers.

It sounds respectable to ME because I'm an engineer!

 

[Sundancer]

I kinda went the other way - I stopped using a debit card anywhere, brick-and-mortar or online, except for ATM withdrawals at my own bank. I pay cash at retail, and use an AMEX on Amazon and other online, for gas, and the occasional larger purchase. My experience with AMEX is they'll back you up. For the occasional cheap-skate retail who doesn't take AMEX, they get cash or a Visa I pack. I don't do "auto pay" from my bank accounts to any entity. Always a bad idea, especially to utilities, health clubs, or insurance.

Most financial houses and banks have good security - most retail companies and gov't definitely do not.

 

[steingar]

PayPal told me to take a hike, so I’m going to do likewise. Still getting tons of spam Emails. Might see if my bank can help me out. And I can tell Ebay I never got whatever widget it is they say I bought.

 

[denverpilot]

PayPal told me to take a hike, so I’m going to do likewise. Still getting tons of spam Emails. Might see if my bank can help me out. And I can tell Ebay I never got whatever widget it is they say I bought.

No point in talking to any of them. Reverse the charges with the card. Let them deal with it.

 

[steingar]

The denouement of al this is the bank will reverse the charges. I have dumped both EBay and PayPal, just insecure ways for the forces of evil to scam me. They obviously don’t give a ****. I’d advise anyone reading this to do likewise. If they can get me they can get you as well.