Got an e-mail from Snohomish County PUD Credit Union this morning alerting me that there was suspicious activity on my credit account and that it was temporarily closed until I reactivated it. The e-mail had the correct corporate logo and the copyright insignia with the text. The 1800 number they listed asks you to enter your card number, personal ID, etc. This is a complete scam, if you have an account with them, I suggest you call your local branch as this e-mail is fraudulent. Whatever you do, don't call the e-mail # and give them any personal info. The funny thing is, I have never held an account with these people, so now I have to check and see if someone who has stolen my personal info in the past has generated fraudulent accounts. I hate thieves.

AMEX and others have a killer service that notifies you immediately of any credit report activity so you know who is pulling inquiries, new accounts being opened etc...I was a near victim of identity theft at BECU years ago. Walked in to set up an acct and they immediately had security come down, im like what the f*&C is this? After verifying who I was they showed me a completed loan application filled out about a year previous with my name and ALL of my personal info filled out. They stopped it before it got going but scary for sure...ID theft is a huge business for tweakers and it DESTROYS your credit if it takes hold...cheers

These people need to be hunted down and shot in the street.

Twice!

Shootins too good for em. Public hanging.

I like the idea of public stoning. (Seriously)
Something about the "hands on" aspect.

I get Emails from "banks" I've never heard of and that don't even operate in this country saying that my account has been suspended and that I need to send them all my personal credit info.

I just send them Blue_Jay's.

ID theft is another good reason to have a shredder at home. I now shred anything that has my name, address or any other info about me on it. I work with a gal who had her ID stolen. Huge hassle to get it cleared up and it isn't on the top of the priority list for the cops.

I like your thinking hohbomb!

Does it have the spelling mistakes and non-linear, free association thought form?

No, those are my posts you're thinking of.

You mean the google translation from Nigerian to English?

Two months ago Bank Of American contacted me and said my debit card had been compromised. They were quick about fixing the problem and a new card with a new number was in my possession in just days.

I try to use cash as much as possible. In a grocery store I'm usually in line behind the guy buying just a pack of gum..........with a debit card. Swipe, enter pin, amount correct?, cash back?, wait...........here's your receipt. I guess he can't carry $1 in his wallet.

Amen
Let's start up a company to do just that

I prefer the idea of public caning. (Seriously)

I'd rather listen to them scream, live, and maybe learn a lesson from it. Stoning would be an option for other crimes.

A couple days ago I received a call about my Alaska Airlines account. They just wanted to see if I had made a purchase. A flight from Seattle to Atlanta for $719.50. I hadn't and was still in possession of my card. The person had all my info but used a name other than mine for the actual ticket.

I asked the guy what raised the flag and he said they have a watch out for certain IP addresses when purchases are made. I asked someone could get access to my card info. I guess there's a million ways and one of them might just be as simple as someone at a bank with the info and gives it out for a few bucks here and there. Pretty scary.

I got hit a few years back when I was still living in Seattle, got my drivers lic, SS#, checks, laptop. So I finally get his name and SS#, but the police basically said they didn't have the time to deal with it, so tough luck. Now, I still have this guy's info and am having unhealthy thoughts involving a roll of duct tape, a bow saw and a cutting torch. Just when I thought I had matured enough to let those uncontrollable things go.

I win the UK lottery about three times a week and am somehow on all third world countries e-mail donators/assistant for helping laundering money into the US list. This e-mail was nothing like that, I could see how someone could fall for this scam and not feel stupid.

They say instead of clicking on the link provided in the email body, manually type it in the address bar.

If you hover over the link the real address will show up most of the time.

What Jerry said, or right click on email and open the 'properties' - which will show you IP address and true server name etc... and, just keep in mind that no financial institution will ask you for this kind of info through email.

Who?

The people DUMB/NAIVE enough to fall victim to this crap?

Ok, I'd go along with that.

Parker,
I got one from a small credit union. Everything looked extremely legit and they fed the line that there were unauthorized bills coming from a porn site in Europe and they knew they were not mine. Would I please verify my information. I had no active account with them so it was easy, but I could see real easily how they might get my mother or an elderly person. Someone had spent some real time researching the credit union and putting together the website. I decided to play with them and enter some false information. Whatever program they had kept catching and it and coming back that I had misentered something and needed to correct it. I clicked on the IP address and it was local and had a fake name that sounded like it could be related. The whole thing was pretty sophisticated, but then again, if they could get just 3 or 4 people to respond they might run away with $10,000 or more and just move on. Every once in a while they might hit the Jackpot. I worked with a guy who had $20,000+ stolen out of his checking account before anyone caught it. At the time he had over $40,000 sitting in the account. Pretty smart guy who made a real stupid mistake. I think he was covered for all of it but the thieves really made out.
If you have the link ,fishpolelease, maybe you could post it here ffor everyone to see.

Dear PUDCU Cardholder,

We detected irregular activity on your debit/credit card on 01/21/2008.
For your security, your online banking profile has been locked due to inactivity or because
of too many failed login attempts.

Snohomish County PUD Credit Union is serious about safeguarding your personal information online.

Unlocking your profile will take approximately one minute to complete .

To reactivate your debit/credit card :

Immediately call 1-(800) 537-0601 Monday-Friday during office hours.



© 2008 Snohomish County PUD Credit Union



I don't know how to copy the corporate logo (which matched the credit unions logo exactly) which was at the header of the e-mail text.

My first reaction was "crap, someone opened an account in my name and is going buck wild on a spending spree". I called the # to try to contact an operator and see if there was actually an account in my name with them. The automated system only asked for credit #, pin, SS#. I then called the 800 # provided on the credit unions real web site. They told me that their CEO sent out a memo concerning the fishing attempt and to basically be prepared for a bad day. There was no link and the "from" address was accounts@pudcu.com, highlighting it to see the original IP did nothing for me, the original e-mail was sent from an SBC.YAHOO server, so I'm not sure if that's their e-mail server, or mine as my account was moved to SBC a few years ago.

Sorry parker, not gonna get rid of me that easy. The credit union has assured me that there are no accounts under my name at their bank, so I can hopefully go return the bow saw to Home Depot for some money back.

Simply put:

NO legit institution will EVER email you for personal information, changes to accounts, etc.

Never.

Ever.

Never.

If you received it via a computer, it's fake. It's a scam. <PERIOD>

When it comes to your financial well-being, only interact with another human being "IN PERSON" and "AT THE FACILITY'.

Seriously, it all boils down to simple common sense.

Right, Sol?

Screw you guys.

I just wont the Nigerian Lottery! Twice! Not only that, but the Prince of DoobooDaBaRain (small country in Africa) is entrusting to me 25 million dollars! All I gotta do is cash in the $25,000 check he sent me (it *looks* legit to me!) and in return, all I gotta do is send him back $15,000 in US Cash. Suckers! Once he gets his money (he really wants it gold or US Dollars), he's gonna wire the millions to my account!

His email even said that it was LEGIT on Snopes! No need for me to check that out myself!

I'm outta here!

Calling in Rich! I can now buy that bad-ass sled, drift boat, big truck, and a big house with a HUGE 4-car garage! I don't have to work any more and I can start fishing EVERY day now!

Life is great!

Wooo! Hooo!

I am still in for caning or killing or whatever.....I need to take some of my lifes frustrations out on someone.

OK, how's about hanging the ID thieves from trees at public fishing access sites and boat launches to see if it discourages tweekers from car prowling there? Maybe accomplish two things with each hanging. How's that for efficiency from your gov't public servant?