NTID Laptop Thief Using Info?

Earlier today I got back from visiting the local Capital One bank. Yesterday, I had received an account opening statement from them which had the correct address, but wrong addressee. I took a look inside to find that it was an account that had been opened in someone else's name and SSN but the account opener used my address. It was dated a day or two after the theft.

After checking with some people, I found that the SSN and birth date did not belong to them. So, off to the Capital One location I went.

I talked with the bank people and they thanked me for bringing it to their attention. While I was there, the person talked with the fraud people and they said that there were over 100 accounts opened online recently. I gave him my name and SSN for them to place on a fraud alert watch so if the person tries to open an account with my info, it will not go through. I also put a fraud alert on my own bank account at another bank.

I don't think I'd have gotten this far had I used the relay. It was worth the gas and time to get there, a 35 mile round trip.

One thing of interest. It is a classic scheme to send things like this not to the person the information belongs to, but elsewhere in the same city, somewhere in the same state or another state. Then when nothing happens after a period of time, the person may then start using and abusing it.

So again, everyone, safeguard your personal information.

Lost and Found Pagers

Shortly before Berke Outspoken posted "Data Only Plan? Not Quite!" on her lost Sidekick, I managed to restrain myself rather well from killing her due to her nearly going overboard bonkers about it. I got plans for her next time that happens. Not to worry... I won't hurt her.

Since The Deaf Sherlock posted on this as well, I started wondering about a few things.

The local Washington Post had an article posted June 27 called "The Golden Rule, Slightly Tarnished."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/26/AR2007062602243_pf.html

While the article posts in a hearing slant, this got me wondering... What about other deaf people who lost their Sidekick, Blackberry, Ogo, or other pager? How did you get yours back? Did someone try to call you, IM you, what? Jamie's asked me the "what if" question a few times of what if the person finds, or at least has, her lost/stolen Sidekick, sees her IM name, IMs her, and tries to wheedle a reward out of her?

What sort of settings do you have on your pagers? Is it loaded down with private and personal info, enough for someone to imitate you? I currently have my Sidekick's mobile number forwarded to my IP Relay number.

What did you do in terms of getting it back, the reward if there was one, dealing with your provider, and getting a new pager?