I'm receiving someone else's credit cards - probably fraud

[Lel]

Over the past few days we've received two credit cards at our home address, but the name on the cards do not match any of our names.  I've contacted the credit card company and they have determined that our SSNs were not used to open these accounts.  The accounts have now been closed and I've warned the CCCs to be on the alert for any further applications using either this person's SSN or our home address.

The two credit cards we received were from the same company, but different "flavors".  We received a letter from a second company indicating that they were unable to process a CC application because they couldn't verify the address that was provided.

So, there's a guy out there, somewhere, who is actively being targeted by identity thieves.  I know his name, but while it's not a common surname in the US, there are over 300 people with the same name, including dozens in my state and a couple in my city.  Is there any way to inform this person about this crime?  I can't imagine calling the police and asking them to track down every John Doe in the area to ask them to check their credit reports.

[ddemari]

luckily it was you that found the cards and not someone else! although im sure it would be hard to activate it without the persons info or phone used. Maybe is the person on Facebook? did the banks let you know that would contact that person and let them know about the situation? 

[Anonymous]

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@Lel wrote:

Over the past few days we've received two credit cards at our home address, but the name on the cards do not match any of our names.  I've contacted the credit card company and they have determined that our SSNs were not used to open these accounts.  The accounts have now been closed and I've warned the CCCs to be on the alert for any further applications using either this person's SSN or our home address.

The two credit cards we received were from the same company, but different "flavors".  We received a letter from a second company indicating that they were unable to process a CC application because they couldn't verify the address that was provided.

So, there's a guy out there, somewhere, who is actively being targeted by identity thieves.  I know his name, but while it's not a common surname in the US, there are over 300 people with the same name, including dozens in my state and a couple in my city.  Is there any way to inform this person about this crime?  I can't imagine calling the police and asking them to track down every John Doe in the area to ask them to check their credit reports.

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The card issuer would be able to identity the person's identity by just the account number. They would not be able to tell you any account or that person's identity information. You've done the right thing.

(Speculation) Someone might be trying to commit identity theft crime on the victim by using your address. Have a close eye on your mail in case someone tries to steal mails from yor mailbox. Advice the post office and if needed file a police report.

[Hokies2379]

Probably should have gone to Best Buy....you know, just to make sure they work.

kidding, kidding.

[Themanwhocan]

I would contact the Police and get a copy of a police report for the problem. You don't want to be sucked in as an accomplice by not reporting it. Also, someones gonna come a calling looking for those cards, and if they aren't in the mailbox, I wonder where the next place is they will look...

Then, send copies of the  police report to the credit companies that you have received anything from regarding this person, and ask that they submit a fraud alert on this persons credit report for using your address.

[Lel]

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@ddemari wrote:

luckily it was you that found the cards and not someone else! although im sure it would be hard to activate it without the persons info or phone used. Maybe is the person on Facebook? did the banks let you know that would contact that person and let them know about the situation? 

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The banks did say that they would try to contact the person - though all they have, as far as I know, is their name and SSN.  Any address or phone number that was submitted with the application is false.

[Lel]

@Anonymous wrote:

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(Speculation) Someone might be trying to commit identity theft crime on the victim by using your address. Have a close eye on your mail in case someone tries to steal mails from yor mailbox. Advice the post office and if needed file a police report.

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That's what I think.  I think they were hoping to grab the mail and the card before we checked our mail.  Too bad they didn't scope out our home first - our mail is delivered through a slot in our front door, so they'd never be able to get access to it.  I don't think that these kind of thieves are likely to be the B&E kind of folks - they want to score a lot of stuff on a CC, run it to its limit, and then ditch it and let the poor victim discover it when he checks his credit reports and starts receiving calls from collection agencies (who can also track someone down, just like those people who solicit money from my college).  I wasn't sure about whether to make a police report but I guess that's a good idea.

[Lel]

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@Themanwhocan wrote:

I would contact the Police and get a copy of a police report for the problem. You don't want to be sucked in as an accomplice by not reporting it. Also, someones gonna come a calling looking for those cards, and if they aren't in the mailbox, I wonder where the next place is they will look...

Then, send copies of the  police report to the credit companies that you have received anything from regarding this person, and ask that they submit a fraud alert on this persons credit report for using your address.

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Good idea.  Our local police allows us to file police reports electronically, so it's pretty convenient.  Learned that the hard way when someone tried to file last year's tax return using my SSN.

[Anonymous]

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@Lel wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

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(Speculation) Someone might be trying to commit identity theft crime on the victim by using your address. Have a close eye on your mail in case someone tries to steal mails from yor mailbox. Advice the post office and if needed file a police report.

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That's what I think.  I think they were hoping to grab the mail and the card before we checked our mail.  Too bad they didn't scope out our home first - our mail is delivered through a slot in our front door, so they'd never be able to get access to it.  I don't think that these kind of thieves are likely to be the B&E kind of folks - they want to score a lot of stuff on a CC, run it to its limit, and then ditch it and let the poor victim discover it when he checks his credit reports and starts receiving calls from collection agencies (who can also track someone down, just like those people who solicit money from my college).  I wasn't sure about whether to make a police report but I guess that's a good idea.

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Or you can ignore it, and we'll have another member of myfico forums trying to rebuild credit  

(kidding of course, file a police report). 

[myjourney]

A bank may be able to contact the person so its a good thing you reported it directly to them.....Bravo Lel

What I found interesting from a recent phone call (Chase) I was asked to verify my drivers Lic# for account verification or the city I lived in 20 years ago? 

I thought that was very strange since I'd never given it to them before in the first place....WTH

So I asked how in the world would you know my DL# as I've never given it to you or the city I lived in 20 years ago when I had no banking relationship with you at that point? 

CSR answer... We search and obtain info on our customers through public information/records and apply it to your account

and I quote

" you would be surprised at the info/data we have access to"

Needless to say I was shocked and proceeded to give him the info which he verified as true and we proceed from there

Joke: so not only do I have (the man) uncle Sam watching my every move and access to all my info, now his little brother is keeping track....was this part of a deal struck that included bail out money.....Hmmmm I wonder