Could I be a victim of identity theft from this?

Question

I woke this morning and had 4 e-mails from western union saying my profile had been changed I needed to call for my transaction and that the transaction had been declined. I called them and they said the money was trying to be sent to someone I dont know many states away for $81. It was declined and I closed my Western Union account but I was still concerned. They gave me the last 4 digits of the credit card that was tried to use and I don't have 1 with these numbers. I quick checked my free credit report and there wasn't anything fishy with that. Could have this been some sort of mix up with someone with the same name as me?

Answer 1

Could just be a mix up but why the change in your profile?

You did the right thing to close the account.

By any chance was the number you used in the email you received and if so do you really recognize it as a legitimate number for them.

I received and immediately deleted without opening an email from WU then other day and the subject was something to the effect of there being a problem with my account. Strange I do not have an account.

Answer 2

Yes, just them sending your the email that your profile had been changed is proof that someone is trying to get your personal info. It's called an account takeover and another form of identity theft. Closing your acct is a good thing. The next step is to call the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report to let them know that someone has changed your personal info on one of your accts and your need to place the fraud alert of the report. The alert also known as a victim statement will let other companies, banks, lenders, etc that you are a victim and if they see any acct opened under your personal info they have to contact you by federal law to confirm you indeed applied for the acct.

Equifax # is 800-525-6285 and they will automatically speak with the other 2 bureaus so the alert will show for all 3 bureaus.

Usually, this is not a mix-up with someone else. Fraudsters don't make mistakes. Yep they are dumb but they don't do mix-ups.

Good luck to you and I'm sorry this has happened to you.

Answer 3

Thank you, ej3dval1, for the instruction on how to fix my mistake. I managed to modify my answer. What I wanted to say was there are unsavory people out there who like to do nothing but make life miserable for the rest of us. The last time we went to the pharmacy, although we have been going there for over 7 years, it was their new "rule" that the cashiers were to not only have your phone number on the check but also our birth date, driver's license # and expiration date!! They wanted everything but my social security # and due to the heavy turn over at this store I told them either to take my check as it is or I'd find another pharmacy! They said that they would enter this complaint in my chart and to not worry about it. When we got home I felt really good until I realized that on my "profile" at the pharmacy ALL that information is there anyway, including every medication I've ever taken, every doctor who's ever treated me, etc. etc. etc. I felt so stupid, but it gave us a good laugh!!