Should I be worried about identity theft?

[SunnyD]

Not that anyone would want my credit history - but I have to wonder. For some time now I've been getting emails from various financial institutions regarding mortgages and mortgage refinancing. I had been investigating purchasing a house about 3 1/2 years ago, but the catch is, these emails are all directed to a name that's not my email username, nor my proper first or last name.

I get emails like "Donofrio Residence, you have been prequalified for..." Essentially everything that comes in is addressed to this "Donofrio" persion.

What's more is one day the email correspondance came with a prequal evaluation including a Street address with City and State. I definitely know it wasn't for me.

Should I be investigating at all into this or just write it off as someone email spoofing or something.

 

[GroundZero]

it is called SPAM!

 

[pyonir]

I'd look into it if i were you. Pull credit reports and see if there is anything out of the ordinary, or that you don't remember authorizing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Gee, it's strange. I get all these Viagra e-mails. I've never applied for Viagra and I'm not even 40 yet.

Why do you even bother to read these messages would be a better question?

 

[JulesMaximus]

DP

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: GroundZero
it is called SPAM!

Regardless - as I was thinking it may be, the catch is that ALL email that comes in with this "Donofrio" name in it ONLY deals with financing of some sort. Nothing else - not general spam. It all deals with mortgages or refinancing. And the fact that one email has a specific physical address makes me wonder even more.

 

[pyonir]

not that i read a lot of them, but any emails i get are not addressed to a "random" name. Most are addressed to my email address, the name on my email account or the like.

 

[SilentZero]

Should always pull your credit report about once a year. I wouldn't loose sleep over it, but be aware that it could happen to anyone.

 

[GroundZero]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: GroundZero
it is called SPAM!

Regardless - as I was thinking it may be, the catch is that ALL email that comes in with this "Donofrio" name in it ONLY deals with financing of some sort. Nothing else - not general spam. It all deals with mortgages or refinancing. And the fact that one email has a specific physical address makes me wonder even more.

i get a ton of the same type as you are talking about.
the ones i like are for my old address, haven't lived in that house for almost 4 years now.
it's funny that they got my old address but not the right name...

 

[tennisflip]

ALWAYS be wary of identity theft. My bro can't get approved for any credit cards cuz some wackjob ex roommate stole his identity and, to put a long story short, screwed his credit history bigtime.

 

[Ausm]

Everytime you check your credit it fvcks up your credit.


Sysadmin

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Sysadmin
Everytime you check your credit it fvcks up your credit.


Sysadmin

I've never heard that before. How would you know something is amiss if you didn't pull it periodically?

 

[MaxDepth]

It happened to me. Investigation found out that it was a person who stole my timesheet out of my boss' office. It had my social security number and home address. They applied for three credit cards and maxed them out. It took me a year and a letter from the NC State Attorney General to get my credit restored. I still pay things in cash or check for most of my things still to this day. I also have several accounts because I'm afraid of someone seizing or emptying just one account.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Sysadmin
Everytime you check your credit it fvcks up your credit.

Myth

Fallacy: My score will drop if I apply for new credit.
Fact: If it does, it probably won't drop much. If you apply for several credit cards within a short period of time, multiple requests for your credit report information (called "inquiries") will appear on your report. Looking for new credit can equate with higher risk, but most credit scores are not affected by multiple inquiries from auto or mortgage lenders within a short period of time. Typically, these are treated as a single inquiry and will have little impact on the credit score.

 

[shekondar]

Originally posted by: Sysadmin
Everytime you check your credit it fvcks up your credit.


Sysadmin

Not if you pull your own report. The only time it shows up on your report is if your report is pulled because you're applying for credit.

 

[Xionide]

Ever seen "the net"? Youve been warned!!!!