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Has this ever happened to anyone?

Posted: Jan 6, 2012

A couple of weeks ago, someone apparently used my e-mail address (and whatever else) to sign up for auto insurance quotes, creditmatch.com, and several other seemingly unrelated online services. Several different insurance companies called my house all in one day, back to back, and my inbox was full of messages from all of these sites that I had supposedly registered with. Has anyone ever had this happen, or know how it could happen? I mean, I've had my e-mail address compromised in the past when an online retailer I did business with had their e-mail list hacked, but that just resulted in a lot of junk mail for a few weeks. This is different, as all of these sites say I've actually registered or filled out info with them. The insurance companies knew all of my vehicles, makes and models, my address, my phone number. It's a little freaky.

Hopefully someone a little less technically challenged can tell me the ways in which this can happen?

;

Isnt this same as ordering magazines to be sent to - someone you dont like?

[ In Reply To ..]
x

don't know - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
Obviously, I realize that someone who knows me could easily do this...I guess I was hoping that wasn't the case, and hoping someone could give me another scenario of how this could happen. I don't have any enemies....that I know of!

sometimes just by visitin any particular site - alias

[ In Reply To ..]
on the internet will get you these types of happenings. all they need is your email address, do a little research, and up pops all your information about your vehicles, your homw, your credit....everything. Nothing is private any longer, truly. so please don't suspect that anyone of your friends or acquaintances did this to you purposely. You probably did it accidentally by clicking on a particular site. Haven't you noticed that if you go to shop for something totally unrelated that suddenly all of the ads even on this site are geared towards whatever you looked up??? Mention a dog or cat and suddenly there are ads pertaining to that even on this site. You are tracked daily with everything you do on the computer. scary, isn't it???

I agree with alias - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The other day on the Gab Board, we were talking about dog training and an ad popped up about Cesar Millan. Yes, a little scary, to say the least.

Trust me; I know what you're saying, but.. - sm

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I've never had this happen to this extent. I've been a HUGE internet shopper for years now. Also, I don't have a Facebook, and I try to avoid any questionable, nonreputable sites. I know what you mean about the pop-up things after you post, or after I've bought something from one site the next site I visit is advertising the same product to me. But I've NEVER had my phone number or address, or anything other than my e-mail address leaked out. I don't give out that info unless I know it's a trustworthy, secure site. That just made me wonder what the heck happened. I'm telling you, this is different.

Oops- meant to say I was the OP above... - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
*

I recently received.... - alias

[ In Reply To ..]
two items in the mail this past week. One was for an extended warranty on my vehicle. My vehicle is 11 years old and has been out of warranty for quite some time. This company had everything about my vehicle as far as info goes, make, model, year, VIN, and practically the last time I had had it serviced. Secondly I received a preapproval letter from a finance company concerning my mortgage! They knew everything about my finances and made no qualms about putting personal financial info into a letter designed to entice me into refinancing. This info has become public knowledge somehow, and is being exploited daily. I had not researched for any of these items and they just "showed up" in my mailbox. I still do not think any of your acquaintences did this to you. All it takes is one vendor getting your info and suddenly 20,000 have the same info and you are inundated with emails and snail mail offerings. I had visited a site one time that had a "side adverstisement" for insurance. I had accidentally clicked on the side ad while searching the site for something else, and I too was inundated with insurance offers, by phone, mail, and email. It was just accidental.

pre-approval letters, warranties, etc. - Bindi

[ In Reply To ..]
Companies share information or, at least, that information is very accessible to other companies who are in the same line of work. Re the preapproval letter, I recently refinanced my house and immediately began receiving offers from mortgage insurance brokers listing all the pertinent information right down to how much I owed on the loan and the loan #. Nothing sinister about this, just annoying and they end up getting shredded. They're either getting the information from a list supplied by the original company or perhaps they have access to public records (the County recorder's office).

Re the extended warranty letter for the car, I received one of these a few years back, researched it, and it did seem to be a scam. Like the above poster, my car was well past its warranty date.

All companies you do business with, insurance, loan, banks, credit cards, etc., offer an opt-out when it comes to sharing information publically. I think from now on I'm going to make a concerted effort to take the additional time it takes to opt out.

Good points - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I get those things in the mail, too. I just didn't connect that phenomenon with this one, I guess, because I've never had the e-mail/phone connection with it. But, maybe you're right and I just visited the wrong site or accidentally clicked on something...

I don't think it was an acquaintenance, but thought maybe I had done something or some info had been compromised somehow. And every single e-mail says that I signed up for, or requested info for. Apparently I even registered to take online surveys for money! Another site is called Thirst of Night, that I apparently registered with. It's some kind of game I believe. I don't click on any links and delete everything, but they keep coming. Also apparently requested info about college tuition so I'm getting a lot of related messages for that too. Just weird, random stuff. That's why this seemed different to me than just the usual credit/insurance offers. They don't usually say "you requested a quote," at least mine don't anyway.

Sorry so long!!

If you're really worried - bea

[ In Reply To ..]
Pull your credit report. Annual credit report.com is the only true free credit report--the others try to change you for stuff--monitoring, credit score, etc. Also, you can put a freeze on your credit report so scammers can't open new accounts. Fees vary by state..

On another note, my husband, while we were Christmas shopping at the mall, filled out one of those cards to "Win a free car!" Now I'm being inundated with all sorts of scam solicitations...free vacations, refinancing, car stuff, you name it. I guess that's what I get for leaving him alone for 5 minutes! lol.

Sort of along the same lines, when I am on a site that - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
makes you give a phone number, I may give the number of someone I do not like or am mad at. LOL

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