SOMEONE HELP: someone is using my name and address thru paypal!

[JustAPal00]

I'll jump in this melee with another statement that Dan doesn't want to hear...

So far I see SCAM.... I don't think the people that called were from Paypal. First... Paypal would never take money from an account that didn't exist and wasn't verified. They also wouldn't notify the seller unless the money actually transferred. The OP says it was an "old" account which leads me to believe it wasn't a good account. The purchase only works if the person selling the goods got his money. How did they get his money from an old account?? The real scam was confirming the questionable information that they had which is typical of the spoof emails that are sent out. The telephone call is a new one but the rule is always -- Don't give info to anyone that YOU didn't call.

Solution: YOU call Paypal and see what they say...

Good point! Calling Paypal is the best answer. If the account is for real, then close it and look into who opened it. If not make sure you don't give any information over the phone to the callers if they call back!

 

[Help34Friend]

Jesus!

Seems that there are just a bunch of bored people out there looking for converstaion and forming opinions! Im trying to get in the solution of a dilemma , Not debate the fact that i already know my info has been compromised! Instead i get responses that of "Youre screwed then", or How did that happen?" WHO CARES how, ITS HAPPENED! I googled this forum thinking there was some people who knew something about legalities within the credit bureau and what my rights are. Instead - i get yoyos telling me "How" my stuff could have been compromised or How i could have let it happen. ONE LAST TIME - if anyone knows anything regarding credit bureau procedures, and what my rights are;youre help would be appreciated.

I completely understand your frustration--I would be frustrated as well, having to deal with such a situation.

However, if you have never opened a real PayPal account, then those callers ARE SCAMMERS trying to extort money from you. Should they call again, tell them to send you all the evidence they have against you IN WRITING.

Then, take all that to your local police department and file either Fraud or ID Theft charges against those scammers.

PayPal is a legitimate business, and, if all this is FROM PayPal, the copy of your police report ought to get them to:

1) Drop charges against you; and,

2) Initiate an internal investigation as to WHO fraudulently opened a PayPal account in your name.

By the way, as the bank account info the scammers had is an OLD account--and, hopefully, a CLOSED account!--it may be that you disposed of some old files and some criminal types got a hold of this info about you from your trash.

Have you ever thrown out any NON-shredded bills or bank statements in the past?

To get info on your "rights," go to www.ftc.gov/consumer as well as the Website of any one of the three major credit bureaus. You can even file a complaint against these scammers with the Federal Trade Commission, or even with the FBI (if your scammers are from outside your state).

If I were you, the first things I would have done after receiving this call:

1) Call my local telephone company and try to get an ANI trace on the last call received;

2) Call my local police department and report an attempted extortion over the phone, mentioning I had ordered an ANI trace of the call from my telephone company.

3) Write out a very detailed statement as to what exactly transpired--including everything that was said over the phone--in chronological order (this statement is your reporting witness statement, both for the police report and for your own records so you don't forget details of what happened).


Remember, if these scammers call you back, tell them to send everything to you in WRITING--nothing anyone says to you over the phone is guaranteed true!

One more thing you can do to help protect yourself from this extortion attempt: CONTACT THE THREE MAJOR CREDIT BUREAUS IMMEDIATELY AND NOTIFY THEM OF THIS ATTEMPTED EXTORTION/FRAUD. This is best done in writing, but call each of them first, to let them know you're going to send them this information. Include a COPY of your police report along with a letter detailing the problem, and requesting a "Fraud Alert" be placed on your credit reports. These alerts last only about three months ("90-days"), but you can ask how to get that extended to up to seven years.

NOTE: Fraud Alerts make it very difficult for anyone (including yourself) to get credit under your name without the credit bureaus first being able to CONTACT YOU BY TELEPHONE for verification the requests for credit came from you.

By law, you are entitled to ONE FREE CREDIT REPORT from EACH of the three major credit bureaus PER YEAR. If I were you, I'd request one from each of them now, just to verify you haven't received any negative and/or inaccurate info on your credit reports.

When you receive your free reports, look them over, and if there are any inaccuracies, call the credit bureau--they include toll-free numbers on the reports for reporting disputes.

I wish you luck sorting out this problem, but, remember: It's not your fault!