Fraud Alert when Applying for Credit

[Tractor Seabee]

I just learned a very concerning source of fishing phone calls resulting from checks on your credit.

I started applying for a mortgage last week. 3 days after the phone calls started coming in from fishers proportioning to represent other mortgage companies to solicit a loan. The last one said they were from Experian (the credit bureau). In quizzing him he stated that Experian is also in the Mortgage business. When I asked to speak to his supervisor, at that point he hung up.

Some internet searching revealed that they are not even a US company. They are headquartered in Ireland (the home of a lot of scam deals). Also there is a lot negative reports on the internet about their business practices which indicates they are less than an honest business. They are the only credit bureau of the three that charges for a credit report and they scam a lot of people with their subscription service.

Beware is all I can say.

Ron

 

[ultrarunner]

It's real bad once you make the list... poor Mom get inundated with robo calls... mortgage, credit cars, furnace and carpet cleaning, etc...

 

[thepumpguysc]

OMG.. I know what you mean.. I bought a new car last month on the 26th.. now, everyday atleast 6 calls from telemarketers.. EVERYDAY.!!!

 

[CalG]

You do realize you have no obligation to answer your phone.

The fear of "missing something" runs strong in today's "gotta know" society.

If it's important, they will call back.

 

[Wagtail]

Don't worry about it Mates... I have a Prince in Nigeria that owes me a favour.

You're covered!

 

[ultrarunner]

You do realize you have no obligation to answer your phone.

The fear of "missing something" runs strong in today's "gotta know" society.

If it's important, they will call back.

Not a problem for me...

Mom and the older generation not so easy...

If the phone rings they will answer and many do not have or want an answering machine... different generation.

Growing up the phone was "Only" for business and no chit-chat... answer by identifying yourself and always polite... or so it was.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I get calls a lot, if there not registered in my phone I don't answer them, if they don't leave a message, they don't get a call back.

I have a work phone forwarded to my personal phone and it gets enough telemarketers calling it, idk how they got my work phone number but what ever so all work and personal contacts are in my phone.

Around here people were spamming people saying there the IRS and need a payment ASAP, I know one or two that fell for that one, lost quite a lot of money too.

After I bought my house businesses that I have never done business with started mailing me, bed bath and beyond is one of the worse, never shopped there ever but biweekly I get offers and coupons. I get piles of mail that is just junk, nothing of any importance and just gets put in the trash.

I finally was out by the mailbox one day when the illusive van rolled up that leaves the plastic bag full of coupons on my mailbox, I asked them who I have to talk to not to bet that bag of coupons anymore, they said us, so I said I no longer want them lol, never got one since, that was over a year ago.

Spammers are everywhere, offers, free gags, discounts, promotions and BOGO lol

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... poor mom got a call saying her car would be repossessed unless she immediately made a credit card payment of $299 and thankfully she said the person would have to talk to her son...

I was in surgery (work) so she could not reach me.

Mom went out to her car and took out all of her personal items... gloves, umbrella, rain coat, etc... and was quite distraught.

I reminded her that she paid cash for her car, there was nothing to repo and if it was taken she is fully insured...

She just broke down in tears as to why do people do things like this and said she is sorry for me since she is no longer the smart person she was... for decades Mom was a charge nurse and ran PACU at a local Hospital and most respected...

Keep telling her it is not rude not to answer the phone or to hang up on strangers...

I had to get rid of her credit cards and put her on my account... this way, no matter where I am I can call in as account holder to deal with issues.

The IRS one has even had her neighbors calling me at work because they too have got the same phone call... immediate payment or an arrest warrant will be issued or Microsoft saying your computer is causing an area outage and they need immediate access to contain... happened to another elderly friend...

The world has plenty of liers, cheaters, scammers and those that would like nothing better than to steal from little old ladies.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Yep... poor mom got a call saying her car would be repossessed unless she immediately made a credit card payment of $299 and thankfully she said the person would have to talk to her son...

I was in surgery (work) so she could not reach me.

Mom went out to her car and took out all of her personal items... gloves, umbrella, rain coat, etc... and was quite distraught.

I reminded her that she paid cash for her car, there was nothing to repo and if it was taken she is fully insured...

She just broke down in tears as to why do people do things like this and said she is sorry for me since she is no longer the smart person she was... for decades Mom was a charge nurse and ran PACU at a local Hospital and most respected...

Keep telling her it is not rude not to answer the phone or to hang up on strangers...

I had to get rid of her credit cards and put her on my account... this way, no matter where I am I can call in as account holder to deal with issues.

The IRS one has even had her neighbors calling me at work because they too have got the same phone call... immediate payment or an arrest warrant will be issued or Microsoft saying your computer is causing an area outage and they need immediate access to contain... happened to another elderly friend...

The world has plenty of liers, cheaters, scammers and those that would like nothing better than to steal from little old ladies.

Wow,
that stuff is no joke, smart what you did with your moms finances. Another one I see that gets elderly people a lot is fake contractors going door to door saying they noticed there roof and driveway is in poor shape, they will fix there driveway or replace there roof but they have to give them half up front, you would be amazed at how many fall for that, they pay thousands and the people disappear

 

[Thall303]

Yes, there is a special place in **** reserved for those that prey on the elderly!

 

[Texasmark]

Wow,
that stuff is no joke, smart what you did with your moms finances. Another one I see that gets elderly people a lot is fake contractors going door to door saying they noticed there roof and driveway is in poor shape, they will fix there driveway or replace there roof but they have to give them half up front, you would be amazed at how many fall for that, they pay thousands and the people disappear

There is another twist to that. Two people show up. One walks the property owner around the driveway/house looking at the roof, whatever, while the other runs around back looking for an unlocked door for access to rifle the house while owner is distracted.

 

[ultrarunner]

The two person job is going on here too... mostly in more affluent neighborhoods with older folks...

A retired couple fell prey to the home improvement scam... they paid for it all upfront and the job was started and never again heard from the contractor who used a fake license.

My retired Navy Commander lost almost all of his savings donating to wounded veterans like himself... he got a call at the retirement home asking for a $20 donation from a well spoken young man who new my friends rank and service... he had recently been in the newspaper for a Vetran's Day talk at the high school...

The person said no need to write a check or use a credit card as the money could be transferred right from my friends bank account... he had 71,000... his life's savings in his checking account... it was all gone to an offshore destination in a series of 4 transfers... $20, then $2000, then $20000 and finally 40,000 on a Friday.

He was 92 and had never felt so stupid... said it was time for him to check out for not seeing it coming... he died later that year.

 

[bigdeano]

I heard on the news a while back that the FBI arrested a bunch of people in several states who were in on that IRS scam. I didn't think they'd get away with impersonating the government forever.

I have an answering machine to deal with the robo calls. It fills up with 60+ calls every 2 weeks.

 

[Wagtail]

Come to think of it, I received a robocall message on my answering machine claiming to be the ATO (Australian Tax Office) and that legal action was being initiated = call back right away on 'this' number.

A robocall. How lazy was that!

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just delete all spam emails without opening, hang up the phone on robo calls or don't answer at all if I don't know the number. Answering machine is there if the spammer wants to leave a message. If it is a number I don't recognize and important, they will call back. Having a good knowledge of how things work and when they need fixing keeps you off the door to door scammers. I cant believe the folks who pay for work prior to it being done.
The only time I paid for incomplete work was per the contract on my new house that required partial payment of the contract after certain things were finished and that was from a local guy that we used and had lots of references for good work. I don't think I have ever had to deal with anyone wanting payment up front, if they asked, they were not used for any work.

 

[ultrarunner]

I do the same but many of my elderly neighbors are not as sharp as they once were and are easy prey for a good talker that comes across as sincere.

One of the guys in our old car club lost his home to scam artists... he was 91 and to make a long story short, mortgage his home to pay for an operation to save a girls life... it was all a scam and they reeled him in.

It was in the papers and tv and made national news on 20/20... nicest old guy with an impeccable little house of 65 years and still had the 1929 Model A Cabriolet he had bought for $40 to get him to and from work all those years ago.

A feeble mind is not a crime and not an excuse for thieves to rob a person blind...

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I do the same but many of my elderly neighbors are not as sharp as they once were and are easy prey for a good talker that comes across as sincere.

One of the guys in our old car club lost his home to scam artists... he was 91 and to make a long story short, mortgage his home to pay for an operation to save a girls life... it was all a scam and they reeled him in.

It was in the papers and tv and made national news on 20/20... nicest old guy with an impeccable little house of 65 years and still had the 1929 Model A Cabriolet he had bought for $40 to get him to and from work all those years ago.

A feeble mind is not a crime and not an excuse for thieves to rob a person blind...

I'm scared of the day my mind goes, when I'm at the age to be considered elderly ill prob be dealing with holograms and ads in my dreams or something crazy like that, wish me luck lol

I don't understand the concept of conning someone out of money, I can understand the idea of a quick buck but if I hurt someone to earn that quick buck than I won't even want it. I guess they don't have a conscience

 

[Monster5601]

Wait until you start shopping for Medicare supplements. it is just as bad.

For those of us that have a smartphone, you can install a free app like Mr. Number, which will block calls from numbers that are not in your contact list.

 

[scdeerslayer]

I just learned a very concerning source of fishing phone calls resulting from checks on your credit.
The last one said they were from Experian (the credit bureau). In quizzing him he stated that Experian is also in the Mortgage business. When I asked to speak to his supervisor, at that point he hung up.

Some internet searching revealed that they are not even a US company. They are headquartered in Ireland (the home of a lot of scam deals). Also there is a lot negative reports on the internet about their business practices which indicates they are less than an honest business. They are the only credit bureau of the three that charges for a credit report and they scam a lot of people with their subscription service.

Since the guy hung up, I highly doubt that was legit. Anyway, the credit bureaus are all required to give you one free credit report each year, and I'm sure to get more than that you'll have to pay something. I'm sure if you look, you'll find the same negative things said about all 3.

 

[KennyG]

Since the guy hung up, I highly doubt that was legit. Anyway, the credit bureaus are all required to give you one free credit report each year, and I'm sure to get more than that you'll have to pay something. I'm sure if you look, you'll find the same negative things said about all 3.

Obviously they want to make money to sell you more credit monitoring, but it's easy to get the annual free report. What you should do is set up a schedule and request a free report from one of the three services every 4 months.