posted on January 1, 2004 05:08:39 AM new
if a person creates a hotmail account under fully ficticious info such as name, address, etc.....is there any way to track that back to the real user?
a person stole one of my credit cards and attempted to use it...using a hotmail account such as this....can I track him or not?
posted on January 1, 2004 08:10:45 AM new
Hotmail does not verify anything. I have a hotmail account. Your best bet is to allow the authorities to handle it. Hotmail wouldn't give you any information even if they verified things. My son had two stolen in December. What a PIA. IMO, all sites accepting credit cards should require you enter those three numbers on the back of the card. Of course, if they physically have your card that's moot. Also, I don't think stores do enough to check ID's. Then again, some credit card rings also fake ID's. I don't think there's any way to stop it.
We once hired a temporary employee at a non-profit I worked for. She managed to get her hands on sensitive information such as employee's SS numbers, Dates of Birth and so on. She and her buddies got credit cards in all these people's names including the business. They even managed to empty the bank account. She and her pals got busted by the CIA (yes, the CIA). They busted into her apartment and found her sitting on a couch surrounded by credit cards. Turns out this ring originated in Chicago and was spread across a couple of states. What a mess. Thankfully, they're all sitting in prison for a long, long time. Equally as thankful that we were able to figure the whole mess out and put the CIA on their tail.
posted on January 1, 2004 09:13:13 AM new
rafrifle: You can ask them at hotmail to try to trace it. I dont know if they would, but if it bothers you enough...most they can is say no.
I started to write "SEE I.D" on the back of my credit cards. Most merchants do ask to see some ID upon seeing that; some dont. But I sure feel better doing that! Thats useless for net purchases though. I guess the only proection is keeping vigilent about your accounts.
posted on January 1, 2004 09:24:38 AM new
Putting C I D on the back of your card does not help. When I went to the post office this past month I hadn't signed my card. The postal clerk gave it back to me saying they couldn't accept that card. She also stated at that time they could not accept a card that said CID. Since I go there all the time she took it but said that they have instructions to turn the person away even with ID. Read the back of the card it says card must be signed by the owner of the card. Also with the new CC slide through things they have at the grocery store that is a do it yourself one, how does the clerk know who that card belongs to. I think they made those for the ease of the clerk and customer but it takes away the clerk to see if that is the real person that owns that card. We are getting to lose with our cards.
I think a debit card is the way to go because nobody knows your code number except you. That is protection.
posted on January 2, 2004 12:27:05 AM new
Libra, I have that in addition to my signature. They know me at the PO, too. Yet a few will always ask when they flip it over. I am glad for that.
Atm's are cool at the grocery but people stand right there and see you keying in your code. I dont like that. Also they did a show on TV about some scammers rigging the ATMS to retrieve codes. It never stops.
Like them rigging the gas pumps, too!
posted on January 2, 2004 02:43:28 AM new
thank you all for your replies. what this person got was a copy printed at a hotel where we stayed. it had to be a hotel employee and the hotel is checking it out. we were able to get the charges he made reversed. I say he because the charges were to a porn site.
the card has a very low limit so he could not get away with much anyway. i just use it to verify reservations, not to pay for the room.
i was pleased that the billing company was willing to give me this persons name and email address though, even though they were fictitious.
