Any one else worried that they have your Social Security number?

[wahmse]

Hi,

This has been bothering me ever since I got the fraudelant 1099.

Should we put a watch on our credit reports just in case these crooks try to use our Social Security numbers?

Worried in the Midwest

[surfer]

It's never a good thing when criminals
have your personal information.

In addition to monitoring credit reports,
you can also put a freeze on your
credit report in a number of states.

State Security Freeze Laws (http://www.consumersunion.org/campaigns/learn_more/003484indiv.html)

The link above shows which states allow
a credit report freeze to prevent people
from getting credit with your info.

It can create a little inconvenience when
applying for credit yourself, but the peace
of mind may be worth it to some.

[wahmse]

Hmm, not available in my state so should I contact the big 3 credit reporting agencies and put a notice on my accounts?

Worried in the Midwest

[surfer]

In general, it's a good idea to check your
credit reports at least once per year.

Adding a monitoring service would probably
be good especially if you've given personal
info to a con man who works out of Belize/
St. Kitts ;)

Thousands of names, addresses, and social
security numbers could fetch a pretty penny
on the market.