Is this an early sign of identity theft?

[FIREHAPPY]

Today I received "Congratulations on your New Home" mail from Home Depot and Ashley Home Store. The mail offers discounts and and the location of the nearest store.

Thing is.....I've lived at this address for more than 6 years. The mail was addressed using my first name initial and last name with the correct address. (I normally use my middle name/last name for mail)

I have credit monitoring in place and a 7 year fraud alert with the 3 credit agencies since I've previously been a victim of identity theft. Everything looks ok with credit. Nothing looks amiss with my county property records and I'm still getting mail from USPS.

Should I be concerned about some sort of identify theft? Would appreciate comments. Thanks

 

[TriumphTR3fan]

Do you have credit freeze in place with the various credit reporting companies? Have you made large household purchases with a credit card? Many mailings use large databases that compare recent credit activities & guess about a house purchase.

 

[FIREHAPPY]

Thank you TriumphTR3fan! I purchased a new vehicle in November and financed part of the transaction. I bet that's it.

Appreciate your comments. I'll sleep better tonight!

 

[donheff]

Have you frozen your credit?

 

[Dash man]

I get that kind of stuff every time I update a forwarding address from our beach house to our primary home. We’ve been in our home 20 years. It doesn’t bother me. However, I do keep my credit frozen as a precaution against identity theft. It’s easy enough to unlock it if I need to from my iPhone.

 

[Jerry1]

I don’t think you have this issue, but it’s worth keeping in mind, that there is also title theft. In addition to a credit lock, find out from your property records whether there is any activity on the deed to your home. I was able to look mine up on our county web site. They also had a program where you can add your email and they will email you if there is any activity. We’ll see how it works because I just quit claimed some property over to my DD and it should pick that up when they process the documents.

 

[VanWinkle]

I get that kind of stuff every time I update a forwarding address from our beach house to our primary home. We’ve been in our home 20 years. It doesn’t bother me. How, I do keep my credit frozen as a precaution against identity theft. It’s easy enough to unlock it if I need to from my iPhone.

This^^^^

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Try Again.... HAVE YOU FROZEN YOUR CREDIT!

 

[FIREHAPPY]

I appreciate all the feedback. I thought about title theft. I'll check with my county to verify if it offers the notice service for activity. I've had to manage through credit identity theft and tax return fraud in my name so I monitor this stuff. (employee at my bank sold the data)

In regards to credit, the 7 year fraud alert requires creditors to contact me prior to issuing credit. Below is the alert language on my credit file with the 3 agencies:

FRAUD VICTIM ALERT: FRAUDULENT APPLICATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED IN MY NAME OR MY IDENTITY MAY HAVE BEEN USED WITHOUT MY CONSENT TO FRAUDULENTLY OBTAIN GOODS OR SERVICES. DO NOT EXTEND CREDIT WITHOUT FIRST CONTACTING ME PERSONALLY AND VERIFYING ALL APPLICATION INFORMATION AT DAY XXX- XXX- XXXX OR EVENING XXX- XXX- XXXX. THIS VICTIM ALERT WILL BE MAINTAINED FOR SEVEN YEARS BEGINNING xx- xx- XX.

I received notices from two credit monitoring services within minutes of applying for the car loan. The car loan provider followed the fraud alert process and called me directly to verify my identity prior to extending credit.

I've assumed the fraud alert offers adequate protection. Do you think a credit freeze offers more protection?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Do you think a credit freeze offers more protection?

Absolutely the BEST way to go, and it is free.

 

[REWahoo]

I've assumed the fraud alert offers adequate protection. Do you think a credit freeze offers more protection?

A credit freeze is definitely the better option.

 

[MuirWannabe]

I should probably do a credit freeze myself. Questions:
- how do you do it? Contact Equifax and Transunion and request?
- how easy is it to unfreeze? Someone upthread mentioned being able to do it on their phone?

Thanks for any guidance. Should’ve done this a long time ago.

 

[VanWinkle]

I should probably do a credit freeze myself. Questions:
- how do you do it? Contact Equifax and Transunion and request?
- how easy is it to unfreeze? Someone upthread mentioned being able to do it on their phone?

Thanks for any guidance. Should’ve done this a long time ago.

I was able to freeze mine online at each of the credit bureaus including Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. You should then be able to unfreeze when needed on-line also- I have not needed to unfreeze mine yet.

VW

 

[REWahoo]

From Clark Howard: How to Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion

 

[sengsational]

From Clark Howard: How to Freeze Your Credit With Experian, Equifax and TransUnion

+1

 

[MuirWannabe]

Thanks y’all. Will be good to get this taken care of.

 

[FIREHAPPY]

I've put the 'freeze' on my credit with the 3 credit agencies. Appreciate the advise.

 

[Pacinotti]

I also have frozen Chexsystems. Consider that.

 

[RobbieB]

I've verified my credit freeze works twice.

BofA will not give me a card and neither will Home Depot.

Boo-Hoo, nobody will give me any credit...perfect!