Has my security been compromised?

[sr71blackbird]

I am very concerned when it comes to the security of my information. I go to great lengths to not give out my SS# or mothers maiden name or anything that could give someone access to my secure information, like bank accounts etc. Well, the other day this guy walks up to my parents house and says he is from the cencus bureau and they wanted some information about the people living in the house, etc.

I dont live there, but I have some bills and car insurance stuff that says I do. I only found out about this after the fact, but the guy had a laptop that had a Cencus Dept. sticker on it and my parents said he showed ID and "seemed official" and he asked questions and logged the answers into the lap top for over an hour. My mom says he asked her her maiden name at one point and at other points the SS#s of people in the house, and of course, they told the guy everything he asked. When I find out about this I am FLIPPING because I never heard of census people coming to your door like that and I am very concerned.

My parents are the kinds of people who think that if someone who seems official askes them something, they tell the truth. In my mind, I would NEVER give out that info to ANYONE unless they were threating to lock me up! All the lengths I have gone through over the years to protect myself and my info I feel have just been compromised and I dont know what to do.

The guy left a card with some #s on it and I took down the #s and called all of them and they seem legit, but since its Saturday, I cant ask anyone at the cencus bureau if they go door to door like this. I have to wait till Monday now and I dont know what this guy could be doing with the info.
Would you be flipping out?
Do any of you have any experience if they go door to door and if these questions are normal?
I remember filling out a mail in cencus thing years ago but dont recall them asking stuff like that.
What would you do?

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[DJEvelEd]

The bad news is that your new name is Martinez.

The good news is that you won 16 games last year!

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[torker]

Would you be flipping out?

yes


What would you do?

flip out

Doesn't sound kosher.


FTC (http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/)

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[furie]

there's no reason they'd be asking for your SSN


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[sr71blackbird]

Im still furious with my parents over this. It is as if their ignorance of the potential harm they could do by talking to unknown people about my private info is not not a consequence to them and that scares the shit out of me!
When I confronted my father about it he was like "You cant live your life thinking everyone is out to screw you!" and he was actually mad at ME for being upset about it! He has no idea of what identity theft is, I hear he logs onto those sites trying to find long lost friends, he does searches of my family name and Im sure he registers for crap with all true information. I am even thinking of calling the cops to see if anyone else was approached by this guy in their town.
Maybe I am over reacting, maybe it was legit, I dont know. I am sitting here now hoping my weekend was over just so I can call this fucking # on Monday and find out!

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[furie]

did you do a google search of the numbers?


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[sr71blackbird]

I just tried, I got nothing. The numbers on the card are-
1(800) 991 2520
(212) 584 3400
and a (631) #


--

Even if the telephone #s are correct, and I left messages on them wanting a call back to my office on Monday, I imagine it wouldnt be too difficult to get the numbers out of the phone book so that it appeard legitimate..Right?

Is there a different way I can search these #'s?

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This message was edited by sr71blackbird on 1-8-05 @ 10:10 PM

[Fallon]

http://www.census.gov/

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[Fallon]

http://www.securityworld.com/community/hottopics/census2000scam.html

As far as I know, the Census is only interested in age, marriage, general income numbers, typical demographic stuff.

The census is only taken in years with 4's... 2000, 2004, 2008, etc. - http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/File a fraud alert

With Love, Matty Fridays

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This message was edited by WWFallon on 1-8-05 @ 8:38 PM

[sr71blackbird]

Wow, I really appreciate that info! I called the cops, and described what happened and they were very suspicious and suggested that I file a report of suspicious circumstances. My parents live in Suffolk and I live in Nassau and the cops said I need to file the report at their house.

I drove all the way to my parents house and tried to convince my father to let me file a report and he went ballistic on me and I had a huge fight with my parents. They are convinced that the guy is legit, and my father said that he had gotten a letter from the cencus department 2 weeks ago saying that a rep would stop by.

My father showed me the guys card and I saw that a digit of the guys home # was crossed out and penned in. My father said he called the guy at his home (I dont know why, he is nieve) and he believes him, and I could do nothing to convince him to let me file a report. It was a very ugly scene at their house, lots of screaming and yelling.


File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.



Thats from the link above (http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/) and I would love to file the report with the cops but I need my fathers cooperation, and he is refusing to let me or listen to reason. I tried explaing that if the guy is legit, he has nothing to worry about.

Its looking like it going to be a waiting game till Monday and I can find out for sure if the guy works there and if this is legit, but Im scared what happeing in the meantime.
I wish I could file on my own, but I dont have enough information and my father wont help, and it happened in another county. Its bullshit! Im thinking the only way I can actually do it would be to file a complaint against my father!

Unbelievable!



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[JPMNICK]

I have def. ,heard of door to door census. they tend to do this in poorer areas or areas where a lot of people did not fill out the survey in order to get a better general idea.

now i am not sure if that is true or not, but i would think it is.

Also, that is a ballsy way to pursue identity theft.

whatever the outcome, i hope you and the parents make up. maybe they learn a little about identity theft, and maybe you learn something too. hopefully nothing bad comes of this, but it does seem shady

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[sr71blackbird]

Im really hoping its not a scam and I can relax. Until Monday (and Im sure when I call them Im going to be transferred around for hours till I get a real answer) comes and I get confirmation, I am going to be nervous. Another thing, Monday I can access the company database and search him out on my own, this way I get an address!

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[JPMNICK]

nice, well i hope there is a happy ending.

Edited to protect my security

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This message was edited by JPMNICK on 1-8-05 @ 10:46 PM

[furie]

you have to post on monday, let us know the outcome.


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[DJEvelEd]

Yeah, post under your new identity.



Good Luck.....and use a speakerphone when you call to avoid unsightly ear sweat!!!!

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This message was edited by DJEvelEd on 1-9-05 @ 12:43 PM

[sr71blackbird]

Update:

I work for a company that basically has everyone that has an electric and gas accounts information and within 3 minutes of getting to work this morning I had this guy pinpointed.
I waited until the Census department opened and while I waited, I contacted American Express where I have this service called Credit Awair and told them of my concernes and what happened. They advised that I contact Equifax, Trans Union and Espiron (sp?) and put on whats called a "Fraud Alert", basically, it requires that any account thats opened within the next 90 days or 6 months be cleared with ME through the mail before the account will be allowed to be opened. I know it seems like a pain in the ass, but I figure I reall dont open all that many accounts anyway, so I did it. I did it in all 3 credit agencies.
Then, when the census opened up, I called over there and tell them about the man and the questions he asked and they asked me the guys name and I told them and the girl right away said, "yeah, he works here".. just like that, no delay as if they where looking it up or anything. I felt suspicious of how quickly they acknowledged his validity and asked to speak to sompen higher up and they put me through to his supervisor and again I relayed what happened and she asked me the name and again got the "yeah, he works here" line. I started asking THEM pointed questions about the guys, his area, what he looks like etc. Some of their answers satisfied me that it was legit, but others I still had a funny feeling about.
They said that they do ask people their SS# but its not mandatory that you give it and most people dont. My parents must have been in the monority that did, and when they gave me up, I felt betrayed.
My mother called me today in tears because of my explosion at their house and she swore to me that they didnt give MY SS# to the guy, just theirs... I explained to her how it is basically the password to anyones private info and to keep it only to yourself etc. I think she understands now. She also said that she didnt give her maiden name, even though I could have sworn she said she did to me earlier. So, I dont know. I do feel a bit better now knowing that I did a preemptive on my own credit history by adding that alert.

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This message was edited by sr71blackbird on 1-10-05 @ 9:50 PM

[sr71blackbird]

Aside from any hassles associated with me adding the fraud alert to my credit file in regards to opening any new accounts for the next few months, has anyone heard of it having a negative impact on your credit report? I guess if it does, its too late now, but Id just like to know.

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[furie]

it may have a negative impact, yes.
actually just checking your credit report too often could lower it.


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[Reephdweller]

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[jackscotty]

I understand all too well what you are feeling about that. I get just as upset when someone gives away my email address to one of those spam marketing companies. They do it inadvertantly but they fill out some stupid survey for $2 and one of the last questions is "List 5 friends and their email addresses"

And the bad thing of it all is that once you let the cat out of the bag thats it. You cannot UN-tell information. So I can understand your frustration.

As for the social security numbers go I think primarily its used as a means for determining your region of origin. And it helps them determine patterns of people moving and/or relocating. But I still think that its too much information for them to know or ask. If they want to visit in order to get an accurate count, thats fine. If they want to determine a deomographic, no problem there either.. BUt anything else is too invasive.

[Reephdweller]

I get just as upset when someone gives away my email address to one of those spam marketing companies. They do it inadvertantly but they fill out some stupid survey for $2 and one of the last questions is "List 5 friends and their email addresses"


What I've done in this regard is for those idiots who are stupid enough to give my email address away, I do one of two things. I either make up a new email address at Yahoo or Gmail and advise them to email me from this email from now on. Most people do. The other thing I do, is if they continue to email me at my regular email I just put them on a filter straight to the trash.

Mostly over the years I've built up a certain number of friends/family who I know don't give out my real email address and care about privacy, only they get my email address. For the others and pretty everyone else these days I have them email me directly at Yahoo or Gmail where I can delete the emails without ever opening them and further reducing viruses and other possible privacy intrusions.

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