Korean Job Discussion Forums

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

Just watched a true story called "Identity Theft". It was about Michelle Brown, a school teacher who had her credit crad info stolen and the criminal even got a driver's license in her name, as well as other things.

After watching this I went online and read up on this. One thing the Federal government in the US makes available is a free annual credit report, but this is not available to us overseas. I have an American bank account and 3 American based credit cards. One recently had some charges on it that I know I never made, so I closed the account and AMEX is investigating it, I think it was a mess-up rather than any abuse as I rarely use the card and I have been here for years. I am monitoring my accounts more closely now. I just realize how much more vulnerable we are as we are physically distant from our banks and not everything can be dealt with in a timely manner and not all things are accessible to us' i.e. the annual credit checks. I do pay a monthly fee for one of the big three credit companies to monitor my activity. Not sure how useful that is as I still had erronneous charges appear on my account. I was fortunate as AMEX lets you dispute it online and there is no paperwork- at least not at this point. On the other hand the others make you do things through snail mail. Like me, if you have a credit card/bank account, you use an address in your own country, so mail would go there first and then be forwarded here. It all takes time. Now, I am reluctant to transfer money back to my bank in the States as I want my funds in close proximity to myself. Maybe it is psychological, but I feel I have more control over it when it is closer.

Any thoughts/advise on this.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:27 am Post subject:

I AM VanIslander.

And I don't let that "VirginIslander" forget it.

Crowzone · Joined: 31 Jul 2006

Different people have different risk factors..

For example I just received 2 emails last week about a "Loan Approved"
However, I never applied for any loan, and a simple view of the email told me that it was merely a scam, but someone more foolish may have clicked the included links and gone to the website where they want you to "verify your details" before they can log you in. Your details being your name, and other useful bits of information.

People go fishing for all sorts of data, and even though 99.9% of people are smart enough to not make that mistake, .1% (probably less) do make it, and then blammo, they become horror stories.

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

i get these to on my yahoo account and forward them to [email protected]. I have never fallen prey to them though I did chat with someone yesterday who was expecting something and opened one up, but then realized what it was. Reputable finance institutions will do things through snail mail and not e-mail. If I check my online accounts for any new messages and always make sure that there is an appearance of a lock down below and an Https above. That scenario should be common sense just like never opening up attachments in an e-mail from questionable sources or even familiar ones--always scan it first.

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

pretty much anyone using credit cards online or online banking (especially with north american banks) is leaving themselves wide open to this sort of thing... also wireless connections are inherently insecure, so be careful doing anything personal over wireless!

kotakji · Joined: 23 Oct 2006

Seriously though, noone with a modicum of sense would fall for the scams that are out there these days. I mean who realistically doesn't check their credit report on a regular basis?

As for the comment about losing the ability to check your report upon residing in a different country other then the US... Who actually admits to having a permanent foreign residence that would nullify those rights?

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:31 am Post subject:

Be a bit careful but let the accountants worry about it.

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

Wisconsinite · Joined: 05 Jan 2007

I have checked my credit report online from Korea. I am an American and used Equifax. By law they are required to give you a free credit report once a year. It works, I check my credit reports 3 times a year by using one of the 3 credit reporting bureaus each time. It is very wise to do it since I found many mistakes simply in birth dates and addresses so it is well worth looking into.