Should I worry about identity theft if I have received a credit card application for a person with a different

Question

I received a credit card application to my home address for a person that had a different first name but the same last name as mine? Should I worry about identify theft? I have children that all have social security numbers. Should I worry that their number has been stolen and someone is using a phony name with their social security number? How can I check if this could have happened?

Answer 1

Yeah, I agree with the guy above me. The name has to match exactly, as well as the social security number. If you are worried for any reason, call the company that sent the credit application and tell them whats going on. If the last name is right but the social security is wrong, you can have them take your address of off their mailing list.

Answer 2

If you're worried, just put the accounts on fraud alert through Trans Union Fraud Dept. Their toll free # 1-800-680-7289. They will notify the other to bureaus  for you and has to be renewed every 90 days if you want to keep th alert on your reports. Better to be safe than sorry later.

Answer 3

I have received credit card apps for someone unrelated with same last name.  Both of us have unlisted phone numbers.  Last I heard (when I tracked her by e-mail) she had just moved to about a mile from me, but was in a different town before that.  Sometimes I think credit card companies go overboard fishing for new accounts anywhere they can, even if uncertain about an address, if they have records for someone with a similar name.

Many years ago my mom received a credit card in the mail, and she has not had a paying job since 1951 (although, she had department store credit cards back when they were stamped metal plates).

I also receive some for different names who have not lived here since at least before the turn of the century (2000) and recently a letter from the county court about some issue in 1999.  So some records out there are simply not accurate or up to date.

Answer 4

The fact that this solicitation bears a name different than yours indicates it is NOT an identity theft situation. Relax.