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Posted: Jun 19 2014 05:44 pm

So, apparently, somebody filed taxes under my SSN before me. Now, according to the "professional" I spoke with at TurboTax, I have to file my taxes through snail mail and fill out a form for the IRS as well as reporting this to my local police department. It's quite the pisser, especially since I waited so on to get on this issue. Has anyone else had this harrowing and wallet-crushing experience? It's a heck of a risk for somebody to do this for such a measly payday.

And to state my mindset about this, I shall quote long time wise man, Al Swearingen:

"COCKSUCKER!"

Joined: Oct 19 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1479

Ouch. That sucks. Somebody tried to use my credit card number once, but thankfully my bank killed that transaction before it ever went through.

Posted: Jun 19 2014 11:03 pm

The most confusing thing about most of these fraudulent charges is understanding the lengths to which the scum will go to commit the crime, when the same amount of effort would net them an honest pay of about the same amount (in some cases).

Posted: Jun 19 2014 11:32 pm

I had my identity stolen in the mid-2000s, when my wallet got lifted and it was a pain in the ass. Fortunately, my credit rating was so shitty that they couldn't get anything. I just ended up getting a bunch of dings for rejected credit applications. The guy who did it ended up getting arrested over it, which was pretty nice. Not sure if he went to jail, though. sorry to hear about your troubles with it!

Banned Joined: Sep 13 2008 Posts: 3129

Good to have you back Rycona.

Sorry about your tax situation Sad

Posted: Jun 20 2014 02:12 am

Thanks, Hacker.

I intend to make the Slobberknocker!

with my info sorry about my tax situation.

Posted: Jun 20 2014 12:31 pm

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

Posted: Jun 20 2014 02:34 pm

Probably because it enables them to commit tax fraud without using their own info, with the intent of taking money neither of them are supposed to get.

Posted: Jun 20 2014 02:38 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

It's the stolen SSN that is important here. They get stolen in order for someone to be able to do on the books work, acquire a driver's license or other id. Maybe they just stole the SSN to get the W2 and file taxes to steal the tax return. I guess there can be a benefit to filing your taxes ASAP before someone steals your info, files for you and takes your return.

It's also ridiculously cheap to acquire someone's SSN. I could go out and get one in about a half hour for about 20 bucks.

Posted: Jun 20 2014 05:30 pm

@om*d wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

It's the stolen SSN that is important here. They get stolen in order for someone to be able to do on the books work, acquire a driver's license or other id. Maybe they just stole the SSN to get the W2 and file taxes to steal the tax return. I guess there can be a benefit to filing your taxes ASAP before someone steals your info, files for you and takes your return.

It's also ridiculously cheap to acquire someone's SSN. I could go out and get one in about a half hour for about 20 bucks.

Okay. That makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification.

Joined: Oct 19 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1479

@om*d wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

It's the stolen SSN that is important here. They get stolen in order for someone to be able to do on the books work, acquire a driver's license or other id. Maybe they just stole the SSN to get the W2 and file taxes to steal the tax return. I guess there can be a benefit to filing your taxes ASAP before someone steals your info, files for you and takes your return.

It's also ridiculously cheap to acquire someone's SSN. I could go out and get one in about a half hour for about 20 bucks.

Fuckin' amateurs. I could get you a toe by three o'clock this afternoon. With nail polish.

Posted: Jun 20 2014 08:53 pm

i havent had anything like this happen, but i hope you can get it resolved quickly. from what i understand, its a very lengthy process

Posted: Jun 22 2014 01:07 am

@om*d wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

It's the stolen SSN that is important here. They get stolen in order for someone to be able to do on the books work, acquire a driver's license or other id. Maybe they just stole the SSN to get the W2 and file taxes to steal the tax return. I guess there can be a benefit to filing your taxes ASAP before someone steals your info, files for you and takes your return.

It's also ridiculously cheap to acquire someone's SSN. I could go out and get one in about a half hour for about 20 bucks.

Shoulda signed up for LifeLock.

Posted: Jun 22 2014 01:42 am

whats funny is that the CEO or founder or whatever of Lifelock actually had his identity stolen several times. he used to plaster his social security number on billboards and of course thats going to be an invitation to get hacked or your identity stolen. and it happened. several times.

Posted: Jun 22 2014 06:10 pm

This is why I always hated having to put my SSN on applications when I was younger. I get that they use it to check your background, but couldn't they wait to do that later? It so unsafe having to write down all of your information and hand it over to some random dude.

Posted: Jun 22 2014 08:36 pm

I never used to put my SSN on applications. I would always write something along the lines of "SSN available at time of hiring" or something similar. Most places don't actually bother checking, and if they do, it's likely to happen after you are hired (and really only if you are a fuck-up and they are looking for an easy way to get rid of you). Let them have that info when you fill out the tax paperwork.

Of course that is totally different when it comes to more serious career jobs. Although for those types of jobs you just give them a CV/résumé, which usually does not include a SSN. If they are seriously considering you they will request such information.

Posted: Jun 22 2014 09:02 pm

I have wondered what the actual benefit of something like Lifelock would be, and just to what extent they can protect you.

Posted: Jun 23 2014 09:49 am

Lifelock is bullshit and mostly marketing. It's basically some type of insurance that is meant to help pay for some of the cost of legal fees and whatnot after your identity is stolen. It does not protect your identity from being stolen, nor does it cover any money that is owed by someone using your bank account/credit, etc. You still have to pay that on your own, you still have to deal with the police and credit agencies, banks, etc.

If you look into Lifelock (it might be on their wiki page, I'm not sure) you will find that they have paid settlements several times for fraud.

tl;dr - LIFELOCK IS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME

Posted: Jun 23 2014 07:28 pm

So I never rented much stuff when I was younger, but once I went to Blockbuster and they wanted my SSN. That really creeped me out. Is that the norm for rental places? I know you gotta protect yourself against the deadbeats, but requesting someone's SSN seems out of place.

Posted: Jun 23 2014 09:07 pm

Blockbuster and similar rental places only ever wanted my credit card number and my name, phone number and address, and a glance at my id to make sure I was the same person. If they asked for my SSN I would tell them to fuck off or maybe ask for theirs in return. That seems might fishy if you ask me.

Title: The Self-Titler Joined: Aug 14 2010 Posts: 598

LeshLush wrote:

@om*d wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

Wait, I don't get it.

I get stealing someone's CC--you can charge stuff on that. But how on earth does *filing someone's taxes for them* help the thief?

It's the stolen SSN that is important here. They get stolen in order for someone to be able to do on the books work, acquire a driver's license or other id. Maybe they just stole the SSN to get the W2 and file taxes to steal the tax return. I guess there can be a benefit to filing your taxes ASAP before someone steals your info, files for you and takes your return.

It's also ridiculously cheap to acquire someone's SSN. I could go out and get one in about a half hour for about 20 bucks.

Fuckin' amateurs. I could get you a toe by three o'clock this afternoon. With nail polish.

This is a gem that was buried before it should have been... has the world gone crazy?

Posted: Jun 23 2014 09:31 pm

I am crazy and I have also seen The Big Lebowski.