identy fraud issue-- attention rally participants -- monitor your credit accounts


STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,551
Ft. Lauderdale
Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

Still no details on the perp, but the bank does have video of the loser and a tape of his voice recorded on a couple of calls. The bank appears to be working hard on this one.

Good news for me is that the bank has already wired the stolen funds back into my account. I still have the major hassles with changing all my accounts and credit cards, but at least I am whole.

I'll post more when I have more.

Hey C,
Sorry to hear about the trouble !!! This would make me go nuts !! These people should be shot ......:ack
 

B O N Y

MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 5, 2005
12,110
Fresno, Ca.
Ouch.... sorry Chris. I check my AMX and VISA and checking accounts daily on the net.
What a feeling to be raped.
 

NOIR GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 6, 2006
14
Detroit
ALERT! Rally II participants!

Another credit card hit! Received a call today from my credit card company regarding suspicious activity. I stated that no, the charges in question are not from myself. The issuing bank immediately cancelled the card, and is in the process of issuing a new card to me.
I do not have an itemized list of where the charges were made, although more than one charge to FedEx was among them.

I used my card at the hotel at check-in for room-related charges only (never charged anything, incuding the hotel; that was payed for by other means). That was the only time I used my card during the rally. The only other use in California during our trip (we are based in Michigan) was at the San Diego Airport, Hertz rental car, which was, again, not truly a charge as the car was paid for by other means.

Hope this info helps.
 

gtjoey

Keep Smiling - GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 14, 2005
3,454
What just started now out here in n.y for protection is that when you fill up with GAS AT A STATION WITH THE CREDIT CARD THEY MUST HAVE YOUR ZIP CODE OF THE CARD!! BEFORE THE PUMP WORKS, Ive now resorted to paying cash. COULD MAYBE WHEN FILLING UP OUT THERE THE SAME THING WAS HAPPENENING.GTJOEY 1314:thumbsup
 

MAD IN NC

Proud Owner/ BOD blah bla
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 14, 2006
4,211
North Carolina
Points back to the hotel. Anybody call the Fairmont yet to let them know there is a thief working there?

Interesting to see if the same person that checked in Noir and Chris is the same...

Looking for the smoking gun!
 
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Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,361
Washington State
Interesting to see if the same person that checked in Noir and Chris is the same...


"Interesting to see" my eye! IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!
 

Silverbullitt

GT Owner
Mar 3, 2006
1,757
Lago Vista, TX
DBK,
I got an e-mail from Bank of America too, saying about the same thing. It wanted me to "verify" my computer for international access.

I think my e-mail is a scam, unless BoA has retards writing them. The date was 9-18-07, and it reads like a set of Chinese fire drill instructions.

I own a bank software company. The practice you are describing is phishig. NEVER NEVER NEVER respond to these. You could forward the email to your bank or call them. Most bank websites now also warn the customer not to respond to this query. Think about it when was the last time your bank contacted you about missing information?
 

Piccola

GT aficionado
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 17, 2006
1,036
Grand Junction, CO
Points back to the hotel. Anybody call the Fairmont yet to let them know there is a thief working there?

Interesting to see if the same person that checked in Noir and Chris is the same...

Looking for the smoking gun!

That really sucks! :bored I wonder if Chris' bank can contact the GM of the hotel & compare the voice recording & video of the thief w/their hotel staff... Hopefully this hasn't happened to anyone else.
 

todd

GT Owner
Feb 3, 2006
1,020
so. ca.
This is why I have a seperate account at a differant bank and keep less than $1000. in it. Whenever I pay for anything on the internet exspecialy Ebay & Paypal or charge at a strange place I use my "Beer money" card. So if I get hit they get less than a grand.
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,361
Washington State
That really sucks! :bored I wonder if Chris' bank can contact the GM of the hotel & compare the voice recording & video of the thief w/their hotel staff...


The police not only CAN - they pbly already have, MJ. Or the C.C. company's fraud people have. (C.C. companies really frown on this kinda stuff for some reason. :biggrin)

That might not do any immediate good if it was a couple of people working a "partnership" crime here though. But, if even if that were the case, they'd be tied together eventually.
 

SuperB

Board of Directors/Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 8, 2006
954
South Florida
We had someone steal $30,000 from a business account about a year ago. the guy had a MICR printer and printed his own checks, made out to him.
He is now in jail.

I urge everyone to put a security freeze on their credit at the 3 credit companies (equifax, experian, transunion) not because of this, but just as a general precaution. It prevents anyone from checking your credit. Places like Neiman Marcus now check your credit just for buying from them. I think it's illegal, but they do it. As you may know, your score goes down each time someone checks your credit. You don't want to pay an extra point on your next car loan just because you bought shoes at that crappy Neiman Marcus.
 

M C B

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 13, 2007
16
Motor City
I phoned the Fairmont this afternoon.

Regarding NOIR GT and myself, I made the reservation for our room with my credit card, and paid for the room with the same. Upon check-in, I gave my passport for identification, where they made note of the passport number (it is still in their records).
If anyone uses their driver's license, they would record this number for the same purpose.

Bill (NOIR GT) and I are still digging up info, so we will let you know what we find.

Trisch
 

ENZO BTR

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 11, 2005
1,048
Southern California
I might have a clue to add...

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier, but better late than never.

I had a similar, but less severe, experience at the rally. My wife has a very specific way of organizing her credit cards and driver's license in her zip-up-wallet, which she keeps in her purse.

During the rally she opened her wallet and was convinced someone had gone through it. Every card and her driver's license was misplaced and in the wrong pocket, though none were actually gone.

My first thought was, "Shit, someone trying to get enough information to steal her identity, but they didn't take anything to keep us from immediately canceling/closing accounts."

I started watching all her/our accounts very closely after that, but nothing has happened...yet. Curiously, she tried to use one of the cards in question at Fed Ex last week and it wouldn't approve. I immediately called Visa but there were no unauthorized charges. They couldn't explain why it hadn't been authorized (it was still "pending" in their records, but she just used another card to pay for it -- the charge was like $6.81). I think one reason we haven't had a problem is that I'm the primary name on pretty much everything, so even if this person has her information they will ultimately be asked for my information if they attempt to move funds or open accounts. At least, that's what I try to tell myself...

Here's perhaps the most interesting point -- she noticed the unauthorized "rummaging" after our night at the Petersen museum. She left her bag unattended while going to the buffet tables, and there were periods where neither she, I, nor anyone else was at our table because everyone was doing their own thing (just like at most of your tables, I'm sure).

My only guess is one of the service staff at the dinner -- but again, that's just a guess based on when she noticed that someone had gone through her bag and when she'd left it unattended.

Not sure if this helps. I'd almost fogotten about it until I saw Chris' email. Sorry to hear about it, and now I'm nervous all over again...
 
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isaakgt

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 20, 2005
691
Wilder, Idaho
If something happened at the Petersen dinner I would bet that they would have it on tape. They have got to have cameras everywhere in that place.
 

timcantwell

Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
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Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 22, 2006
2,634
N.E. OH & Naples, FL
Guys-

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I do not know if it is a coincidence, but right after the rally in SoCal, I was apparently the victim of some kind of identity theft. Some scumbag in Orange County walked into a branch of my bank with my DL# and SS# the day after the rally and opened up a new account. He changed the contact phone numbers on my account to two phone numbers also in Orange County. The dirt bag then proceeded to drain one of my accounts.

I do not recall if we had to show our DL#s at the autocross or not, does anyone know if we did?

Of course this could be just a random coincidence, or possibly the loser targeted me because he knew I had a GT and thus a dollar or two. If this later case is what happened, I may not be the only victim. I don't want to be Chicken Little here, and again it may be totally a coincidence, but if I were you and I attended the rally last month, I'd at least take a look at recent bank account activity.

[DBK/Bony- I posted in the General Discussion section hoping for the widest readership. If this post should be in the "Pit at Le Mans", please feel free to move it.]

Sorry Chris, I thought you wouldn't mind if I used your identity since we are in fact "twins". I'll give the money back. Seriously, it can be a very harsh world out there with the low-lives that prey on people! I hope that they catch the guy!
 

B O N Y

MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 5, 2005
12,110
Fresno, Ca.
i have stuck this thread, and hope that everyone who checks the forum using the new post tool will catch this alert.
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,502
Belleville, IL
And who kept track of stuff during the auction?
 

SuperB

Board of Directors/Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 8, 2006
954
South Florida
I was recently told that the plastic key cards hotels give you contain a lot of personal info (including CC numbers) and that you should always take them with you and destroy them. Pretty easy for someone to grab one and get the info off of it.

I do not believe such info is on the cards, but why take a chance.
 

isaakgt

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 20, 2005
691
Wilder, Idaho
Have any of you guys used the LifeLock identity theft protection services? I would like to know how effective their services really are. Anyone had any experience with it?
 

SteveA

GT Owner/B.O.D
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 13, 2005
3,694
Sandpoint Id
Have any of you guys used the LifeLock identity theft protection services? I would like to know how effective their services really are. Anyone had any experience with it?

You watched NASCAR's Lifelock 500 yesterday!.....come on admit it!:lol Take your medicine and abuse from the open wheel snobs! LOL!

:)skep I did too)