NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 So, something very odd has been happening to me the last few days. I just can't get my head around it. So, what the heck - I'll see if any of you bored Sox fans have any interesting theories... On Sunday, I got phone calls from 3 or 4 auto dealerships, trying to get more information from my about my inquiry for an auto loan. Problem is, I didn't apply for an auto loan or anything of the sort. In a panic, I thought someone may have stolen my identity, so I call all these auto dealers back (reverse lookups on the phone numbers first - they were legit dealers). Oddly, whomever was trying to get an auto loan, had my correct name/address/phone, but the SS and DOB he gave was completely off, or in some cases he didn't give it at all. So apparently, he just has my address and phone number, which are public info anyway. Then, I got calls from insurance companies. Someone had submitted my info on some insurance quote engine website, asking for info on insurance and annuities. I had to tell all them, that wasn't me. Then yesterday, I get calls from a couple local colleges, responding to my supposed online inquiry about degree programs. Again, not me. So... WTF? This isn't a true identity theft - they don't have any of the crucial info. They aren't going to get any money out of giving my name, address and number to insurance sites or universities - in fact those COST money. Besides, they'd contact me at that number anyway, not theirs. And they can't get any kind of credit with bogus SS and DOB info (oh, also, the employment info they provided was bogus too). So this gets them nothing as far as I can tell. What is the motivation of this person? What are they trying to accomplish? So weird. Oh BTW, I am a member of one of the credit reporting agencies, and get alerts anytime anything happens on my credit, even inquiries. Nothing has come up, at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipps Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Wow that would make me feel really uneasy. The only thing I could think of is someone is trying to phuck with you and have you thinking something crazy is going on but have no intentions of actually getting things with your identity. You have any recent enemies your fueding with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (shipps @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 08:23 AM) Wow that would make me feel really uneasy. The only thing I could think of is someone is trying to phuck with you and have you thinking something crazy is going on but have no intentions of actually getting things with your identity. You have any recent enemies your fueding with? No one I can think of. I don't have many recent enemies, really. I used to work in law enforcement, but that was now 10 years ago, in a different state. Also, I should note, the car loan inquiries were phone or online too, so no one actually went in person as me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 08:38 AM) No one I can think of. I don't have many recent enemies, really. I used to work in law enforcement, but that was now 10 years ago, in a different state. Also, I should note, the car loan inquiries were phone or online too, so no one actually went in person as me. I wonder if someone phished info off of your computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuna Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 haha I actually did this to one of my friends a few months ago. The reason I did it was so he would get really annoyed at all the solicitors calling his house. The funniest part about that is it's 3 months later and he still gets calls everyday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 09:09 AM) I wonder if someone phished info off of your computer? Could be. I run up-to-date virus protection (One Care) as well as running the SpyBot sniffer in the background, and I download all the MS updates. I'm as safe as I can reasonably be. But its possible. The method of getting my info doesn't puzzle me much - you can get name/address/phone combinations from all sorts of places. Its the odd choices of where to use my info that I can't figure out - none of it would get this person any money. I feel like there is another shoe still to drop, I just don't know what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (chwhtsox @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 09:12 AM) haha I actually did this to one of my friends a few months ago. The reason I did it was so he would get really annoyed at all the solicitors calling his house. The funniest part about that is it's 3 months later and he still gets calls everyday... You do this to your friends? What do you do to your enemies? I actually don't get many solicitor calls normally, I'm on the do-not-call list, and that mostly works (except non-profit, surveys and the like). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuna Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 we all have the same sick sense of humor so it's good, unfortunately our wives don't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 10:15 AM) You do this to your friends? What do you do to your enemies? I actually don't get many solicitor calls normally, I'm on the do-not-call list, and that mostly works (except non-profit, surveys and the like). I'm on the "you pissed off a friend" train myself. However, did you sign up for something newish online recently? It's possible that they are selling your information to these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 09:21 AM) I'm on the "you pissed off a friend" train myself. However, did you sign up for something newish online recently? It's possible that they are selling your information to these things. That's what I am thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 09:21 AM) I'm on the "you pissed off a friend" train myself. However, did you sign up for something newish online recently? It's possible that they are selling your information to these things. Nothing comes to mind, but I am sure I have given my name and address online at times in recent months. But its usually something specific and relatively secure, like say ordering something from Amazon. Nothing like quote engines or the like. But heck, who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Someone sold your info. Companies will do that. You put your info somewhere and they sold it. Put your number on the Do Not call list and anyone who calls tell them you will report them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 10:45 AM) Someone sold your info. Companies will do that. You put your info somewhere and they sold it. Put your number on the Do Not call list and anyone who calls tell them you will report them. Which I'd get, if these were cold calls. But who is the buyer here? Who entered my info on car dealer websites, or the University of Phoenix? There is no money in that. Also, why buy that info, when any yahoo with a computer and the internets can go get it, for any of us? If I started getting random solicitor calls, then I'd agree. But that isn't what happened here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Facebook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 11:43 AM) Facebook? No address or phone number there, plus I keep my profile private to anyone other than my "friends". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 The other shoe dropped today. Bad news: someone has been using my credit card number, online, the last few days. Had to cancel it, get new cards, and all that pain in the ass. Good news: its now pretty clear that someone got my info from something on the web - somewhere, where you put in CC# and address and all that. Its good news because this isn't my credit file being messed with. Credit cards can be cancelled, calls can be ignored. Could be a lot worse. I am usually quite careful about shopping online, only using major retailers and trusted names. But apparently, even that is sometimes not safe enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyWhiteSox Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Where do you shop online? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 "Some people just like to see the world burn" Well, not quite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 QUOTE (SleepyWhiteSox @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 07:32 PM) Where do you shop online? Not many places. Amazon and Peapod are the only ones I use with any regularity. But around Christmas, there were others, I don't remember them off hand. I avoid fly-by-night type sites, anything that isn't a recognizable name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish71 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 The compromise of your personal information could of happened in a few places. 1.) Your computer. If your computer was compromised with the right malware that data is ripe for the picking. Modern browsers, and operating systems are built around ease of use and not security. Think about the number of times forms seem to auto-fill information. These little fragments in memory could be harvested and sent off. The little lock in the corner of your browser only tells you that the transmission is secured. It says nothing about your computer and the end server. Hell the site itself could be compromised and you could of picked up something, or have been redirected based on a small piece of code. 2.) Their server. You could have a traditional breach were the data is harvested. Most states have a notification law. But then again, they have to find out the hack, and then they have to be willing to report it. 3.) Rogue employee. Remember, in the end. People work at these companies. And the same person who is smiling at you when you purchase your item, could be selling the information later on. It is not as secured as we think. Gas Stations used to use this scam a lot. 4.) Mailbox snatch. Most people have bills that come to your house. It sits in that mailbox all day long. Bad guy comes around, grabs your mail. According to an Infraguard FBI meeting I was at a few months ago. This has picked up. If you can receive electronic invoices or bills. Its better in the long run. 5.) ATM false face. This is another big one lately. Bad guy comes up, puts a false front on the ATM keypad card reader. You swipe your card, enter your pin. Its all captured. Hell a lot of the time the bad guy uses a pinhole camera, or a remote camera. Watches your car, records your plate/watches you put in your pin. Most companies offer a virtual credit card number for purchases. This is an alternative for risky sites, and worry for giving out your real number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 30, 2008 -> 06:11 PM) The other shoe dropped today. Bad news: someone has been using my credit card number, online, the last few days. Had to cancel it, get new cards, and all that pain in the ass. Good news: its now pretty clear that someone got my info from something on the web - somewhere, where you put in CC# and address and all that. Its good news because this isn't my credit file being messed with. Credit cards can be cancelled, calls can be ignored. Could be a lot worse. I am usually quite careful about shopping online, only using major retailers and trusted names. But apparently, even that is sometimes not safe enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Dec 31, 2008 -> 12:57 PM) Hmph. Some credit check program... I can't even type my number into the box there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Dec 31, 2008 -> 11:57 AM) I just see a red x. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 31, 2008 -> 12:48 PM) Hmph. Some credit check program... I can't even type my number into the box there. Just post it on here and I'll check it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 This just keeps getting weirder. I received today in the mail, a bottle of some sort of male enhancement supplement (also enclosed was a coupon for 30 minutes of free video online porn). Oh, and seperately, a custom t-shirt that has nothing but an @ sign on the front and the number 00 on the back. WTF? This shmo ordered stuff with my credit card, and had it shipped to me. WHY?!?!?!?! Now I'll probably get on mailing lists for all sorts of "adult" niceties. And no, in case anyone asks, I have never, ever purchased any "adult" stuff on the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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