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Derrick's Story: Complicated Case of Criminal ID Theft
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2011-09-20 18:33:10
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Debix Newsletter www.Debix.com In This Issue: * Debix Helps Customer Arrested Twice for Crimes Committed by an ID Thief! * Two Phone Scams to Watch for: SMiShing and Vishing Fireproof Safes * Protect Your Identity Information from Fires and More Derrick's Story: Debix Helps Customer Arrested Twice for Crimes Committed by an ID Thief! Debix Investigator Resolves this Complicated ID Theft Case Derrick, a nursing student and Iraq veteran says his experience in the military made him passionate in his quest to help others. "I was an EMT in the military and then a paramedic afterwards. It can be distressing but I enjoy working with people and being able to assist them in their time of need." Unfortunately, a criminal using Derrick's identity, threatened to undermine all he was doing and the solid reputation he had built. It began on a drive to class when he was pulled over for a broken turn signal. After running a check on his driver's license, the officer told him his license was suspended and he was going to jail. Derrick was baffled, "I had no idea the nature of the charge or why I was being arrested. I told the officer he must be mistaken." His car was towed and he was taken to jail where he learned there was an outstanding speeding ticket in Mississippi under his name and driver's license number. He paid the ticket in order to be released and placed a call to Debix. Derrick had previously been a victim of identity theft while serving in the military. Because of that experience, he became an Debix customer but even so says, "I never dreamed that someone could get my information and use it in this way." OnCall Investigator Christy was assigned to Derrick's case and immediately went to work to clear his record. She filed a police report and although it was a confirmed case of identity theft, Derrick still was required to appear in a Mississippi court and later deal with the charge of driving with a suspended license in Georgia. An attorney was hired at the expense of Debix to navigate through the court process. At this point Christy canvassed all counties and states to see if there were any other issues outstanding and she learned there was also a warrant for check fraud, a felony offense. Someone had used his identity once again to write hot checks. She worked with law enforcement, the District Attorney's office and Department of Motor Vehicles to promptly clear Derrick's record. Though all charges were dismissed, he was still responsible for the court fees, fines, tow fees, bond and the cost to have a new license issued. Derrick says, "The State of Georgia did not offer any of the money back. They said I would have to go after the person who committed the crime." Fortunately, he says Debix and the $1M insurance policy helped cover "expenses including attorney's fees, travel expenses and other out of pocket expenses - even food." He says he would not have known what to do without the support of OnCall Investigator, Christy. "It was great for someone to assist me in my time of need when I felt down. It is a nightmare to be a victim of fraud and be sitting there in jail knowing I didn't do anything. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy." Derrick is trying to put the whole thing behind him and complete his education but says he'll always be on the lookout for new activity and is glad Debix is there to help. "Debix is great at letting me know if there is anything going on with my accounts whether it's changes to an account, or someone trying to open a new account and I like the system because I know it's safe. I hear my voice and the phrase I recorded." For Derrick it's not only the safety but Christy's commitment to the case, "Christy called to check on me frequently to see if things were going okay. She made me feel good about getting my identity back and went above and beyond. Even after it was resolved she still wanted to know if there was anything else she could do to help. I have told her thank you a thousand times but I cannot say it enough." Protect Your Family with Debix! www.debix.com/choose_plan.php Or Call 866-747-5214 between 9am-5pm Central. Two Phone Scams to Watch for: SMiShing and Vishing Attempted Scams on Your Mobile or Home Phone You've probably heard of phishing, a scam in which fraudsters send mass emails posing as major institutions requesting personal information. However, you may not be aware of two similar, but less talked about scams in which victims are attacked through the phone. SMiShing, a hybrid of the word "phishing" and "SMS", is a scam in which fraudsters 'fish' for personal information through SMS text messages. The text message typically claims to be from a bank or financial service and requests an immediate response via phone or the internet. With many consumers receiving real alerts from their banks and credit card companies via text message, this new fraud poses a real threat. To avoid becoming a victim: Save the number your bank uses to send alerts into your phone. If you receive an alert requesting action that is not from this number, proceed with caution If you respond to text message alerts, call the number listed on the institution's website Don't visit websites sent via text message Vishing a hybrid of voice and phishing, utilizes caller ID spoofing to trick consumers into divulging personal information via telephone. Vishing scams usually call consumers with automated recording telling them that their credit cards have been flagged for fraudulent activity. The recording then requests that the victim calls a separate number or enters their credit card numbers, PINs, or SSNs on the keypad. Because people tend to trust caller ID much more so than emails, Vishing can be especially dangerous. Here's how to avoid becoming a victim: Do not give information on an incoming phone call: Always call the telephone number listed on your bills or your financial institution's webpage to provide personal information Report incidents: Report vishing calls to the FTC - www.ftc.gov or call (888) 382-1222. If you think you've been a victim of a vishing attack you can also contact, the Internet Crime Complaint Center - http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DebixIdentityProtect/3e90f896e5/a0eb88ddc9/f17d5d114e Protect Your Family with Debix! www.debix.com/choose_plan.php Or Call 866-747-5214 between 9am-5pm Central. Fireproof Safes Protect Your Information from Fires and More An Identity Risk You May Not Have Considered: Fire As an Austin based company, Debix has recently witnessed the devastation wrought by fires firsthand. With the fires clearing up, hundreds of victims are returning to their property, only to find their homes completely destroyed. While personal belongings can eventually be replaced, it can be difficult or even impossible to have your records recreated. This is why we strongly recommend that everyone purchase a fireproof safe to protect their personal information. Here are a few important factors to consider when shopping for a fireproof safe: * With more and more files being stored digitally, it's important to look for a safe that can protect computer equipment, such as a hard drive with a back up of your family pictures. Look for a safe with a rating of 125, which means that the inside temperature will never get hotter than 125 degrees Fahrenheit. * Ensure that the size of your safe makes it difficult to steal Consider a safe that is also flood proof. Often, where there is fire, water will soon come. If you need some guidance in selecting a safe, Sentry Safe provides a great tool - http://cts.vresp.com/c/?DebixIdentityProtect/3e90f896e5/a0eb88ddc9/078462f26c to help you find the perfect safe for your needs. While some of the offerings may seem costly, it's important to remember the importance of the information inside. Your identity is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, so spending a fraction of that on a fireproof safe is a small price to pay for its security. Protect Your Family with Debix! www.debix.com/choose_plan.php Or Call 866-747-5214 between 9am-5pm Central. ______________________________________________________________________ Click to view this email in a browser http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/234487/3e90f896e5/1778533735/a0eb88ddc9/ If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: http://cts.vresp.com/u?3e90f896e5/a0eb88ddc9/mlpftw ______________________________________________________________________ This message was sent by Debix Identity Protection Newsletter Debix Identity Protection 823 Congress Avenue, Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78701 US
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