I have a unique risk profile and am hoping to find additional things I can do to reduce my exposure.
Recently I (unfortunately) aided in the arrest of a 2 time ex-con who has scammed people since his early teen years. While the entire experience with him unfolded, I saw him use a multitude of techniques to con and steal resources. Some I still don’t understand such as ordering multiple cell phones from AT&T using someone elses ID.
Once he got rearrested and placed back in Prison (he had multiple Warrants including Federal), he let his ex-wife know that he blamed me for his capture to which she profusely apologized for being the focus of his anger.
Since there are so many scams out there, I was simply trying to reduce my exposure (if at all possible). I’m sure he will be able to take advantage of many “common” criminal techniques to mess with me.
Here is what I have done to try to reduce that threat:
frozen all three credit report services
moved to a paid email service
utilize VPN
never have used Social Media, so I should be ok there
paid a service to keep deleting personal information from data brokers
Any additional smart things I can do to try to reduce risk?
Edit: I’ve received some great advice so far:
Change phone number
Add old phone number to Google Voice to monitor for activity
Two additional Credit reporting agencies to freeze credit
If you already have a gmail account you check every now and then it’s $20 to migrate existing number into google voice and then you could monitor it for anything that may show up while not using it regularly anymore.
Maybe check with a local domestic violence charities to see what they advise their clients to do in similar situations. Including personal defense classes, like krav maga.
+1 for porting a number into Google Voice and Google’s overall security. I could swear TechLore mentioned this in a not so recent video.
I’m assuming that you froze your credit report with the big 3 (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian). You’re still open to attack due to two more big credit report services that most companies/individuals are using now. For example, State Farm auto insurance, as well as, other major companies use LexisNexis.
That is a very good question. My gut reaction is that he will use my personal information to both pay me back by messing with me and/or taking advantage of my credit for his own profit. I really do not know what type of Legal problems he could cause me so I figured it best to reduce my profile as much as reasonable.
His history (from the time he was 15) has been in theft. Gaining resources from others in anyway possible. Family, Friends, girlfriends, cars, acquaintances, etc., originally addicted to Heroin and now “Blues” (fentanyl?). In talking with people he crossed paths with explain that he is “… just so smooth” in his Con’s. They were taken in by his stories, hook line and sinker.
Of course violence is not beyond him or anyone actually. He does have a Domestic Violence charge against his pregnant girlfriend in the past. I still think my risk of violence is in the lower percentile. Also, I have time until he is released.
You cannot do this while credit freezes are in place
Create an account with the SSA Social Security and secure it with ID.ME if you can. Accounts opened prior to 2021 cannot use ID.ME.
There can only be one account per SSN so doing this prevents anyone else from claiming yours.
Optionally, lockdown online access with an “e-services block” and/or visit an office to add a direct deposit lock. Start a application for benefits but do not submit it until ready. SSA will issue a 9-digit “Re-entry PIN”
Secure Your IRS Account
If you file electronically using tax software you should already have established a static 5 digit PIN with the IRS that you use to e-file every year this could also be last year’s AGI. This isn’t the same as the IRS identity protection PIN below.
The IP PIN program became active in Jan 2021. When you sign up, the IRS will issue you a 6-digit PIN. You put the PIN on your tax return. Any e-filed tax return without the correct PIN will be rejected. Any paper return without the correct PIN will be subject to extra scrutiny.
A specific PIN is valid for only one year. After you sign up once to participate in the program, you must log in to the IRS account each year to retrieve a new PIN before the tax season starts. You always use your most current PIN. You don’t need a PIN when you amend your previous tax returns.
You’ll also want to freeze here Chex systems used by Banks and CU for new account KYC.
Freezing also prevents each agency from selling your info so it reduces the feed to data brokers in general.
If I was you, I wouldn’t use a phone number registered with my legal name (prepaid only).
All it takes is one person that works at the carrier with shady connections, the person pays them a few hundred bucks and they can run any name you want. This is the easiest way of tracking down cars, license plates, home addresses, phone numbers etc.
There are known examples where even police officers sell this information to criminals.
Another threat is social engineering the carrier. “Hey AT&T, my mail keeps going to my brothers house, can you verify my address on file really quick?”
Here is a real life example. Cartel member wants to find an individual, spends over a million dollars finding them. Included a guy with 30 years of telecom and electronics experience.
The defendants used various means to locate and track Mr. Chapa and members of his family. Cepeda-Cortes purchased surveillance cameras that were placed in various locations in Mr. Chapa’s neighborhood
They placed automobile tracking devices on vehicles owned and operated by Mr. Chapa and his relatives, including the Range Rover Mr. Chapa was in when he was murdered.
