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"It quickly became evident that a ********* had redirected the $2,452 benefit to an unknown Citibank account. Marge, who lives in Minnesota, had never banked there. (Ms. Birenbaum requested to refer to her mother by her first name only to protect her from future fraud.)
Ms. Birenbaum immediately started making calls to set things right. When she finally connected with a Social Security representative from a local office in a Bloomington, Minn., the rep casually mentioned that this happens “all the time.”
“I was stunned,” Ms. Birenbaum said."
"An estimated 2,000 beneficiaries had their direct deposits redirected last year, according to anti-fraud officials at the Social Security Administration."
I read the article. What I am surprised by is that it does not discuss the law enforcement side of it. The accounts to which these payments are being fraudulent re-directed are US bank accounts. Why can’t the bank account owners be traced and apprehended?
I read the article. What I am surprised by is that it does not discuss the law enforcement side of it. The accounts to which these payments are being fraudulent re-directed are US bank accounts. Why can’t the bank account owners be traced and apprehended?
My credit is frozen and locked, and I have my financials monitored with $1M fraud insurance by one of the credit companies (the service costs $25 per month). I keep only one credit card, one ATM card, and no debit cards. My sole investment account requires more than a notarized form (I am forgetting exactly what the procedure is called) for any withdrawals.
I tested the system by trying to open online several new bank accounts without unlocking/unfreezing credit, and it was impossible.
it is easy for hackers to get all the info on you they want or need .
let’s face it , those operating criminally on the dark web know how to cover their tracks well .
Yup. I say shut it all down. It's not working.
After ending up as a target for hackers, I now spend inordinate amounts of time and energy to "protect myself" from the internet, which I'm forced to use in order to make a living. I wish it would just be dissolved.
My credit is frozen ans locked, and I have my financials monitored with $1M fraud insurance by one of the credit companies (the service costs $25 per month). I keep only one credit card, one ATM card, and no debit cards. My sole investment account requires more than a notarized form (I am forgetting exactly what the procedure is called) for any withdrawals.
I tested the system by trying to open online several new bank accounts without unlocking/unfreezing credit, and it was impossible.
If you read the article, you will find that none of that would play a role in preventing this type of fraud. We do not have the insurance but we too have our credit frozen.
If you read the article, you will find that none of that would play a role in preventing this type of fraud. We do not have the insurance but we too have our credit frozen.
Actually, I read part of the article. The fraudsters opened a new account with the victim's name and SSN, and redirected SS checks to that account. But they can't open an account in your name if your credit is frozen and locked.
Actually, I read part of the article. The fraudsters opened a new account with the victim's name and SSN, and redirected SS checks to that account. But they can't open an account in your name if your credit is frozen and locked.
I re-read the article. There is no mention of fraudsters opening a new bank account in victim’s name and SSN that I could locate. What I read was that they convinced SS Admin to redirect the payments to a different bank account. May be what you are suggesting is how it is done but I did not read that in the article.
I re-read the article. There is no mention of fraudsters opening a new bank account in victim’s name and SSN that I could locate. What I read was that they convinced SS Admin to redirect the payments to a different bank account. May be what you are suggesting is how it is done but I did not read that in the article.
How can anyone have an account under my soc security number if he/she hasn't opened it with my soc security number? And how would he/she open an account with my soc security number if my credit is frozen and locked?
How would soc security send a monthly check to a recipient whose soc security number (under which he/she opened a bank account) is different from the ssn of the intended recipient?
How can anyone have an account under my soc security number if he/she hasn't opened it with my soc security number? And how would he/she open an account with my soc security number if my credit is frozen and locked?
The article does not mention that the bank account to which the social security payment is directed is in the same name and has been created with the same social security number. From what I could tell, the fraudsters are updating it to a different bank account, not necessarily with the same name and SSN. Like I said, I do not know how this fraud works but you are flattening a self-created straw man that is not evident in the article.
PS: It is also noteworthy that the steps to protect against this fraud listed at the bottom of the article do not include freezing your credit report. They are essentially about freezing your social security account online access, etc. If credit freeze were effective in preventing this fraud, it would likely have been mentioned.
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