identity theft monitoring service

[JohnO]

I get those scam phone calls frequently. Always a thick Indian accented voice obviously calling from a room full of scammers because you can hear them in the background. Claiming to be from Microsoft and a problem has been detected in your computer is a common theme. Another is being told there is an arrest warrant from the IRS for you in some obscure state.

On a few occasions like when I'm out hiking with the dogs and have earbuds I will play along just to break balls. Plus I figure if I keep the a-hole tied up it's slightly less damage he can do to others. It's obvious they have no idea who they are getting on the line with their robo calls. They ask for a name to "verify" they have the correct individual. So I give my name in a very concerned voice and ask is there truly a warrant out for me?

My name is Ron Jeremy. I reside at 69 Stiff Rod Road in Deep Gulch, Oklahoma. "Yes sir you are the person we are looking for"! I'll play along until I get fed up then ask a question. How are you? Usually I have to ask a couple times to get the scammer to break from his script. How are you? How are you feeling today? The scammer will be slightly taken aback and it will appeal to what ever slight bit of humanity he has and then answer with something like, "I'm fine". To which I'll reply really? You don't feel like a lying, caniving, scumbag, piece of no good shit ... Generally that's where the line goes dead. Occasionally I'll get a guy who tries to exercise his command of the English vulgar vocabulary in return. Then I know I got under his skin. I've even had a couple call me back when I hung up on them just to MF me up and down. Mission accomplished!

[RJ]

We use Experian Creditworks Premium at $15.95 per month.

I've previously only had a couple instances of credit card fraud (stolen in Miami, go figure) and once my iPhone was hacked and the number ported to a West African location (exactly how that happened remains a mystery). We got a call from USAA fraud department that the person was on my number inquiring after banking details, which was pretty scary. We then used my wife's phone to call Verizon as mine was inert and sorted it out. Then we called USAA and confirmed all was ok, but it was a very stressful couple of days.

Since then I keep my file locked, and only open it for specific loans (e.g. house loan). I look at my information every week to two weeks. more frequently if there is an alert. Our service includes reports from all three credit houses.