I am planning of filing for bankruptcy ch. 7 in California. Ive been calling various lawyers around the area, and most are expensive. So I called this one place that is far from where i live but they are the cheapest and I asked the lawyer questions about my situation and if I could leave two cards out and he said yes and I told him well I owe 0 on one of them and he said oh yes you can leave that one out. But other lawyers ive consulted with have said no i have to put in the bankruptcy. Is this true? and the fishy part about this guy he said also "I can go to your house for your convience or meet you at a Starbucks I meet most of my clients there." What do you guys think of this situation? Thanks Everyone for answering.

I’m having a hard time dealing with my bank disputing a charge made to my credit card, (which is quite different than my dealings with them in the old days). I’m wondering if I switch banks/cards if I’d have better luck in the future if I have to dispute something. Or are the rules & standards all the same no matter what bank card I get? Is it the bank that resolves disputes, or is it Visa?

My best friend might be in some trouble and we’re trying to figure this out.
Her employer issued her an Amex corporate card. Although it was against company policy to use the card for personal reasons periodically she did. She had all the intentions to pay it back since she wasn’t trying to loose her job over it. She had a personal balance on the card of 1K when suddenly she got laid off. She stopped paying on the card and since she was now broke she she took out cash from the Amex and maxed it out at 6K. Three weeks later she received a visa corporate card in the mail. Apparently her employer switched credit card companies and for whatever reason they sent her one too although she no longer worked there. Desparately, she used that card to pay her rent and utilies several months out and she figured in time she’d work out a repayment deal with the credit card companies once she was back working or something. She ran up 11k dollars on the visa card. Her ex-employer is now investigating the matter. Is this credit card fraud? Is the employer liable? Can the employer press charges – If so what? What penalties could she be facing – jail, probation, etc? The cards were in her name but she did know that company policy was to not use the cards for personal reason. She has an irrelevant misdeamor from 1996. Other than that she’s clean. She lives in IL. Serious answers ONLY please. Thank you.

What can a thief do with your social security card? I thought if they got a job with it, all the money they pay for social security would eventually go to you. Aren’t employers checking to see if the cards are stolen or belong to someone else?

So this guy I know committed credit card fraud around 2 months ago. He took two different cards from two different people at a party. He went to Target to make a transaction of like 225 dollars or something. He told me that he used two cards for part of the transaction and cash for the rest. Karma caught up to him because he got arrested the other day for the same thing, except he stole a classmate’s wallet and bought books from the school bookstore using two of her cards for about 420 dollars. We all were very disappointed at him and know how incredibly stupid he is. However, as he is a student and learned the hard way, I don’t think he deserves to go to jail. He got a lawyer/attorney he said…and the attorney said he can get the bookstore thing down to a misdemeanor with no jail time. He has been through hell and deserves it. However, how likely is it he will get caught for the target thing even though it has been two months ago? I believe credit card companies usually just eat the loss for smaller amounts, correct? I am worried about him alot, and he is already making efforts to change as he renewed his faith with God (he has been terribly lost with religion and feels this happened to him for a reason)…also he has seen a therapist, apoligized to the girl, and is really making efforts to change and is very remorseful. So I don’t want to hear how bad of a person he is bc I already know what he did was awful, esp with all the crime. But what should he expect? He says he will never steal again, ever, not cash, not wallets, no matter how desperate he is for money. By the way, this is his first time offense. He has had no previous record.
Yes he did get caught and he is sorry for that. But like you said, it WAS a wakeup call for him, and he said he starting thinking about everything he did wrong in his life, not just stealing, but lying. He recently reconverted to his religion after being an athiest for so long. He is so scared of the Target ordeal because he doesn’t remember the names on the cards as he got rid of them the same day. Otherwise, he says of course he would have been looking for them right now. Also the reason why he would be scared to tell the girls is it might not matter at this point. Do the police really take this long to investigate such matter like this? The bookstore ordeal got him arrested 3 days after the fact. It is almost 2 months since the Target thing happened, I doubt they will continue the search for him?? Yes it is true he is sorry he got caught, but this getting caught was a complete and total wakeup call for him to be a strong person, a patient person, to not be affected by depression
emotion and impulse. His new faith has helped him regain those qualities. He is going to see a therapist today. He confronted the bookstore girl he stole from and she was kindly enough to forgive him but she said it was out of her hands at this point. He is sorry for everything he has ever done. He deeply feels God did this for a reason–Because he was straying away from God and going to sin. If he had been close to God from the beginning, his faith would overcome him trying to do bad things obviously. But I still don’t think he deserves jail time. There are people who get away with so much and I do think it is unfair. Credit card fraud happens every dang day and nothing is done to catch the people. So why him? Especially since he is changing. He is also going to continue to actively take action to change his ways. He knows he may do jail but is hoping his lawyer can help him out, not to excuse him for what he did. But hopefully God will make a miracle happen and give him another chanc
His faith is NOT helping him excuse the crime he did. He believes God had him arrested as a wakeup call. Of course God didn’t make him do the crime. The fact that he was away from God in the first place made him feel this kind of behavior was okay. God thankfully gve him a wakeup call through the arrest. Why don’t you guys understand this? Because you don’t have faith? Well child molesting is another crime altogether, and I assure you that my friend will NEVER even THINK about doing this again. He is not planning to be a repeat offender, not just with this scenario, but any sort of scenario against the law, or even immoral.

So this guy I know committed credit card fraud around 2 months ago. He took two different cards from two different people at a party. He went to Target to make a transaction of like 225 dollars or something. He told me that he used two cards for part of the transaction and cash for the rest. Karma caught up to him because he got arrested the other day for the same thing, except he stole a classmate’s wallet and bought books from the school bookstore using two of her cards for about 420 dollars. We all were very disappointed at him and know how incredibly stupid he is. However, as he is a student and learned the hard way, I don’t think he deserves to go to jail. He got a lawyer/attorney he said…and the attorney said he can get the bookstore thing down to a misdemeanor with no jail time. He has been through hell and deserves it. However, how likely is it he will get caught for the target thing even though it has been two months ago? I believe credit card companies usually just eat the loss for smaller amounts, correct? I am worried about him alot, and he is already making efforts to change as he renewed his faith with God (he has been terribly lost with religion and feels this happened to him for a reason)…also he has seen a therapist, apoligized to the girl, and is really making efforts to change and is very remorseful. So I don’t want to hear how bad of a person he is bc I already know what he did was awful, esp with all the crime. But what should he expect? He says he will never steal again, ever, not cash, not wallets, no matter how desperate he is for money.
This crime he committed at the bookstore was a first time offense for him by the way. It’s not like he has had a criminal record.

I’ve recently gotten 2 credit card bills in my name for cards I never applied for nor do I have. I’m on disability and have filed for bankruptcy a few years previous so I couldn’t get a card if I wanted one. I’m at a loss for what to do since I can’t pay for charges that I didn’t make.

The reason I ask is, I temporarily lost my wallet in the vicinity of my own home. An anonymous neighbor returned it while I wasn’t home … the small amount of cash that was in it was gone, but the cards (including my drivers license and social security card) were still in there. It’s possible that whoever had it for the night wrote down my numbers somewhere … are there any government or credit agencies (aside from my bank who I already notified & cancelled my ATM card) that I should contact?

I had to apply for SSN’s for my babies before we even left the hospital with them. Now with this new crisis of identity theft I have to guard those numbers for the next 18 years. Doesn’t this seem insane that we have to do this? I have their SS cards which they obviously can’t sign yet & I have to keep them guarded until they are old enough to use them. Why can’t they just apply for the SSN themselves when they get of age to work & actually NEED it? That’s what I did.
My babies don’t file an income tax return. I do. Does an official birth certificate not count anymore?

and She stole his Social Security Number to do this. Most of the cards have over ,000 account balances on them . Some, ,000. They have talked to a lawyer but he will not touch the case until there is proven fraud through the statements. The credit card companies have been contacted about the fraud and are supposed to be issuing statements in the mail. This was two months ago and no statements. This is a scary situation. Who can they talk to NOW and put a stop to this 30 credit card account fraud before it’s too late. Thanks

her name. She stole his Social Security Number to do this. Most of the cards have over ,000 account balances on them . Some, ,000. They have talked to a lawyer but he will not touch the case until there is proven fraud through the statements. The credit card companies have been contacted about the fraud and are supposed to be issuing statements in the mail. This was two months ago and no statements. This is a scary situation. Who can they talk to NOW and put a stop to this 30 credit card account fraud before it’s too late. Thanks

How would I go about finding out if there is anyone using my social security # for something other than credit?
For example, all these identify theft companies seem like they will mostly protect against credit fraud. But what if someone wants to get a driver’s license under your name or apply for a job?

I’m very worried because a few months ago a lost my wallett along with my drivers license and insuance cards.

I had an account with wamu. Then someone tried to purchase my car with a fake check. And because of that, they closed my account. Then they made it publicly marked in records to all banks and now no bank will take me because all it says on the statement is fraud. It doesn’t say that I wasen’t the one who didn’t write the check. Also because of this my other bank account with usbank closed and without telling me. So when it was time to pay off my credit card, bill pay was nonfuntioning, and the cards where never paid off. To make matters worse, late fees made it impossible to ever pay it off. How can I get rid of the late fees from the card and just pay off the card considering it wasen’t my fault, and how can I force them legally to restore my credit? Any lawyers wanna represent me? Thanks.
What the fuck are you people talking about? I never deposited the check. like said, they saw that it was fake before it was ever cashed. I said I tried to cash it. Their was never anything deposited into the account. And I ended up selling the car to someone else. why would I sell the car to someone who gave me a fake check?
"Ok, you deposited a faked check."
No I didn’t. I was never deposited.

"So when it did not go though, if you had taken any money out of that account you had to pay the bank back for the bad check."

I didn’t have to pay them back for anything becuase I never recieved any cash from the bank for the check.

"If you did not have the money to pay them back ( money you took from the bank when you took the check, then you can be in legal trouble, since the bank gave you the credit for the check and now you have to pay them back for the money they gave you."

Pay them back for what? I never recieved any money from the check? I said it was a fake check., Meaning the bank never cashed it, or deposited anything into my account. All they did was shut down my account give me all the money that was in it, and put fraud on my credit record, making it impossible for me to ever get an account with anyone ever.
"It sounds to me like you failed to follow up on this situation in a timely manner. What should have happened is this; After a fraudulent check turns up, you speak with the accounts manager,"
I did speak with the manager.

"confirming the fraud, and contact the police to file a report."

I did, but the police can’t force the bank to do anything. that is why I am seeking a lawyer.

"At that point, the bank would likely freeze the account, but your overall credit rating would not be affected."
At that point they not only froze it, they killed it. Then my credit rating was affected, and now no bank will take me, because only says that there is fraud associated to a situation in my name. It doesn’t state in the records that I was the victim.

I can prove abuse and that the entire marriage was a fraud to begin with (we actually had sex less than two weeks before their marriage back in September) I have documents ie. emails, letters, cards that state how much she regretted getting married dating back to October (less than a month after the marriage) my concern now is that I am 100 percent positive that he has been physically abusive to her. Now, (pending DNA testing) she is pregnant with my child and still considering not getting a divorce. Is there any chance of me being able to get custody of the child based on all this info?

I’ve posted about this before, but I need to find out accurate info from real cops/police officers.

A friend (over 18) has a joint credit card with her mom. She never used the card, except this once.

But before she could mail in the payment, her parents saw the transaction history online & threatened to send her to jail for using “their” card. So she got scared & lied. She said she never used it, that she didn’t even have the card anymore.

She’s sent in the full payment, but she can’t tell that to her parents (since she denied using the card)

The facts are this:

1.) The credit card was/is a joint account, with 2 cards. 1 card is in the name of my friend, the other card is in the name of her mom

2.) She’s made FULL payment for the item purchased

Now, if THE PARENTS (NOT the girl) report the card as stolen OR misused (fraudulent charges) can my friend be arrested and/or prosecuted for credit card fraud or theft??
need to add

There is no balance on this card because my friend has already sent in FULL payment for her portion

Secondly, the card is a joint account with her mom. There is no primary cardholder. It is a joint account, NOT a primary account with my friend as an additional cardholder

The two cardholders on the account are my mom and her friend.

Most importantly, she SENT IN FULL PAYMENT for what she charged.

But since she denied using the card, her parents (again, NOT the girl) are planning to report the card as stolen.

If they do can she be traced and arrested/prosecuted??

I have so much identity theft from a corrupt mortgage broker (most likely). I paid on two cards for at least six months, which was so stupid. In december, enough was enough and I stopped paying. I have finally started to take action. My attorney says that these can still be proven, but I see little hope. Anybody out there that works in this field? Freemason here.

Hello,
I have an American Express credit card and gave my mother a supplement card to help her out. Since her recent bankruptcy and bad credit history she had no access to any credit card. She has been good paying as she knows we are both on this acct. Months later I found out she opened her own Visa credit card. When I confront her she said when she applied she used my AX acct as her referral card. This has always been a fast and easy way one can get a credit card if one has an existing card. She then was able to attain her own card but with my credit history. Later she was able to attain 5 more cards using my supplement AX card.
Am I liable for her unpaid bills?
Her statements are under her name, only thing I am worried about is because my credit was used to open those existing cards she has now.
Am I protected or have I been scammed by my own mother and liable?

What are things you do in everyday life that prevent identity theft?
I have my name on all my cards without my middle initial, I do not sign the back. It says see photo ID. My legal signature ALWAYS has my middle initial on it. So if there is ever a dispute, I win! I ALWAYS take my mail containing checks to the post office. The red flag you pull up for the postman is a red flag for thieves too. They can take your check and alter it. Also, keep a gel pen in your checkbook, the gel can’t be lifted from your checks the way ballpoint ink can.

New Credit Card Scam .. Snopes says this is true.

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on Thursday from "Master Card".

The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for 7.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?"
When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from 7 to 7, just under the 0 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues – "I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.

You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here’s the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works . The caller then says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card". He’ll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers". ; There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers’ that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, "Don’t hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN n umber on the back of the card. Don’t give it to them. Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you’ll see charges for purc hases you didn’t make, and by then it’s almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.
What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a "Jason Richardson of Master Card" with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn’t let him finish. I hun g up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing each other, we protect each other !

Peace and Love…
Pray for the saints…

The most common credit card scam is made by phone. The caller will pretend to repsent your credit card company. He/she will sound proffesional, knowlegeable and polite.You may receive a call something like this, from "VISA" or "MasterCard": The caller will say, "This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA/MASTERCARD. My badge number is 12460 and your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA/MASTERCARD card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for 7.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?"
When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from 7 to 7, just under the 0 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?" You say "yes". The caller continues – "I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1-800 number listed on the back of your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number". The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"
Here’s the important part on how the scam works. The caller then says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card". Caller will ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers". There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say "No", the caller then thanks you and states, "Don’t hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.
You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you credit card number. However, if you call the REAL VISA/MASTERCARD Security Department, they will probably tell you it is a scam. There may also be a new purchase of 7 to 7 charged to our credit card.
If this happens to you, you will need to make a real fraud report and close your credit card account. Your credit card company should give you new credit card and 3-digit security numbers. What the scammers want is the 3-digit security number on the back of the card. Don’t give it to them! Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real credit card security dep’t will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card!
Other credit card scams include: mail/internet order fraud, account takeover, skimming, carding, and stealing your card.
this essay is about credit card scams

I have good credit and im in the market for a business credit card. What company offers the best rates, offers, cash back programs ect? Please give me some ideas on programs i should look into from the major cards like, AE, Discover, MC, and Visa.

I have a credit score of 700 and wanting another credit card. I was thinking about citi bank or bank of america. What one should I get? I only have one other credit card from Wumu. I want a credit card that report to the 3 credit bureaus every month. Anyone has either one of these cards, if so, what one did you like and why?

I have decent credit but I had cancelled all my cards when trying to get out of debt. I am now free of all unsecured debt but I need to have a card so in the future I won't be hurt by having no credit.

I'm thinking I want a card with no annual fee and a low APR. The card would only be used very occassionally and paid off immediately. I have no desire to repeat previous mistakes.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good card for this purpose?
Okay, as I said, but everyone is skipping, is that I have decent credit. My credit score is 700.

When I got into trouble I went into debt consolidation right away BEFORE my credit got screwed up.

But I do appreciate those of you who are taking the time to answer.

I read in many places that it hurts your credit score to close accounts for many reasons. If you just leave them open and shred the cards, aren't you setting yourself up for identity theft?

Ex was ordered to provide health insurance for children…does so sporadically. Most recent policy sent via email (February) was a copy of cards front and back. This policy began Jan.1, 2008. According to BCBS in recent phone conversation (July) this policy was "set up" in computer system but never activated and terminated on the same day (Jan. 1)….claims will be retroactively terminated and I will be responsible party as I took children to office visits…

here's the kicker…this is the second time this has happened!

The first time (2006) cost me 00…six months of retroactive termination…..without going into all of the mind boggling absurdities of the Family Friendly Court system of Missouri- (ex also facing "prosecution" for failing to provide support ,000 arrears…able to pay just not frightened enough or morally motivated) my question is this…because these insurance policies were sent through mail (email) can this be considered mail fraud- who brings charges