Credit bureaus upsell ID theft victims, FTC report says

[ronjor]

By Bob Sullivan

A new report by the Federal Trade Commission slams the nation's credit bureaus for upselling identity theft prevention services when victims call looking for help.

The report found that consumers face frustrating voice mail systems that often make it hard to reach a live operator, are confused about their rights and face unnecessary hurdles fixing credit report errors caused by identity thieves. It also pointedly raises the possibility that the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could initiate enforcement actions against the bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

The report comes as that new agency is about to take on regulation of he credit bureaus, a major shift in the way they are policed. The bureau’s new powers will kick in this summer.

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...tc-report-says

[Dermot7]

By Bob Sullivan:

The most important tool consumers have to fight against ID theft has been turned against them by hackers, msnbc.com has learned. Websites that offer consumers a chance to see their credit reports are being brazenly used by hackers to steal victims' information.

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...inst-consumers

[Nebulus]

I'm a bit puzzled how this credit report sites work. I assume that you need to enter some kind of personal/banking data on such a site in order for it to be able to monitor your finances... If that is the case, it's not a tool against fraud, it's another weak link in your personal data chain. Am I mistaking ?

[JRViejo]

Merged Threads to Continue Same Topic.

[PaulyDefran]

I was recently notified of an attempted loan in my name by a Credit Card Company. They tried to sell me some of their protection, but it wasn't really a hard sell...more of a "hey we have this, if you want to do it". It was CitiBank, and without them calling me, I may have been exposed a lot longer, so props to them. The only other thing was a Paypal Credit Card attempt that was also blocked. The Paypal thing used an address I haven't been at in 15 years, so I'm assuming an old database got compromised somewhere. The CitiBank thing the lady said, had the card going to my current address...which is pretty odd...they usually try to get the card to their address. Stupid criminals probably (I have a Mail Boss mailbox...good luck getting into that, LOL...I'd notice). I did sign up for an independent service at $18 a month. It's worth it to me for a few months in addition to the 90 Day personal authorization needed option with the credit bureaus (free). If you don't need any *new* credit or loans, you can FREEZE your credit reports indefinitely for $10 per credit bureau. I'll probably do this next...it's the poor man's credit protection

PD

Edit: Yes, you give the 3rd party all your CC #'s and Bank Account #'s to monitor. I agree with you that it is a possible vector in and of itself, but I'll take a definite (my info was already in someones hands) over a possible (that the protection agency will get compromised).

[EASTER]

I been thru the same ordeal others had with those reporting agencies doing nothing to fix fraudulent false reports, even when you have proof in black & white. Frustrating as all get out. I gave up trying after years of no remedy.

Last month i get a letter stating at least one of those 3 IMHO bandit reporting agencies was being sued in a class action law suit over exactly that matter of not being up front and that after all these years i too might be eligible now to finally be compensated.

The court will hold hearings on April 13, 2012.

...........to be continued