Stolen ID

[MTNY]

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This might be a weird question but someone has stolen my ID and used it to open credit cards in different states. I am wondering if it could be someone from amcas. Did this happen to any other people since applying to MS online.

 

[vixen]

damn, that sucks...I'm sorry. Your ID had your SS# on it? Did you report it?

I would seriously doubt someone for amcas used it, but then again, this whole premed thing gets weirder and weirder...good luck, let us know the outcome.

(sorry if I was no help, but I do hope things work out 🙂 )

 

[MTNY]

When I said my ID I did not mean an ID card. I meant someone had gotten a hold of all the info that that I use to identify myself. They used my ss#, address, birthday, phone # etc. The only reason that I feel it could be somebody from amcas is that they are the only org that I have recently given all my info to. This is just a quess. But I do appreciate your sympathy. thanks.

 

[kutastha]

I do recall one post on here several months ago where someone received the info from AMCAS for a different applicant. It had all that sort of stuff on it. So it could be possible.

Andrew

 

[Weeble]

MTNY,

That SUCKS!!!! 😱
Doubtful that it's anyone from AMCAS, they may be fabulously incompetent, but I think (although some on SDN may disagree 😉 ) they're still a shade off from pure evil. Identity theft is frightfully easy to pull off for anyone who wants to and even has a vague idea of how to do it.

You probably have thought of this already but here's my advice:
Having your identity stolen can seriously screw up your life, ESPECIALLY if you are trying to get student loans for med school. It sucks but if I were you I would get on this as soon you can, if you're not already.

Report it to the police right away and then go to <a href="http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft" target="_blank">www.consumer.gov/idtheft</a> or even better,<a href="http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/online/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm" target="_blank">www.ftc.gov</a> and find the identity theft section if this link doesn't work. Those sites pretty much tell you what you need to do.

Then you'll probably want to order copies of your credit reports from the three credit bureaus, Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax, and write them letters to the effect that your identity was stolen and you want a fraud alert put on your reports, and ultimately get those accounts removed from your report.

Man, that sucks BIGTIME and I'm sorry it had to happen to you. GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[brandonite]

I dunno. There could be an AMCAS connection there. There are whole realms of people there who have access to all that information in one place. I'm not saying that AMCAS itself had anything to do with it, but all it takes is one bad employee there (Marvin anyone?) to make off with all your data.

But again, there are probably a bunch of institutions who have access to that kind of thing.

Anyway, best of luck with the whole situation! Those things can be a real pain to sort out... Too bad it had to happen to you.

 

[Nikki]

If you have student loans too, that might be a possibility. I knew one of my classmates that somehow traced the use of her IDs to a location where her borrowing institution was, and she thought that might be how they got her info.

 

[Ranger Bob]

I'd just like to second Weeble's advice. You need to take immediate action to protect your credit rating. It is very difficult to fix problems with your credit report if you don't take immediate action, and you may be applying for medical student loans soon.

As far as an AMCAS connection, I guess it's possible, but there are probably a lot of other organizations out there who have enough information to have done this. As some others have said, AMCAS is grossly inept, but not quite crooked enough to steal someone's identity.

I don't have much to add to what's already been said, but I do hope they catch the bastards!

 

[labrat]

Yes! This happened to me to, and I'm sure the info has to have come from AMCAS, because that is the only time I have put that info on the internet, and used a particular credit card #. Someone used my credit card # to purchase $1100 worth of stuff before my credit card company called me to verify that I actually made the purchases, which I had not. This is very, very frustrating. I advise everyone to check your credit records, because it could happen to you too! As I stated before, I am sure the info had to come from AMCAS, because that is the only time I have given personal info over the internet.

 

[MTNY]

I usually trash any mail that does not look familiar to me(after I shred it}. Last week I decided to open mail from Eddie Bauer and thats when the bomb hit me. Some prick purchased $1500 dollars worth of new clothes. I have the same jeans for over three years and this SOB uses my info to buy brand new clothes. Please check all your mail so you can make sure this does not happen to you.

Anyway, I am always so pleasantly surprised at how thoughtful and helpful many of you are on this forum. I did do all that was suggested above, and I hope this gets cleared up soon. thanks so much. 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

 

[brandonite]

Maybe one of you should get in contact with AMCAS. It sounds like they might have a bad employee there... Perhaps there have been other people with the same problem.

Ranger Bob - I'm not saying that AMCAS is evil (that's another debate for another time). All it takes is one bad employee to do something like this, and it sounds like they have a few "Specialists" there who leave something to be desired... The AMCAS organization (and the AAMC) have nothing to do with this, just one bad employee.

 

[Ranger Bob]

brandonite, Your point is well taken. If the problem is with AMCAS (and we still don't know that it is), then it could be that their computer network was compromised... which would require not criminal intent by an employee but incompetence -- something AMCAS has repeatedly proven itself capable of.

 

[brandonite]

Yup, that could be true too. I don't think there's a chance there's some kind of grand AMCAS conspiracy from Nancy all the way down. Just that there might be some kind of problem there that the heads of the program aren't aware of.

 

[Weeble]

It's very possible that the information could have been stolen from the Internet or AMCAS. And yeah, it could have been some bad apple over at AMCAS too, but there's a CR@PLOAD of other, easier, lower-tech ways to steal information as well, that are probably a lot more likely.
ppl do stuff like stealing mail like bank & credit card statements or pre-approved credit offers. Also, if you throw the latter out, ppl can also rummage through your trash to get the info that way. ppl can also pose as a landlord or employer and obtain your credit report without your knowledge.

Anyways, I'm rambling at this point... bedtime

 

[sundevil1]

It's so infuriating when someone just feels they have some right make what is yours theirs. While out of town for a couple of interviews my mail box got broken into. I didn't put my mail on hold cause I was only gone about 2 days. My wife's insurance id card with her ss# was in the mailbox and so were some access checks from my credit card company. These idiots charged over $3000 on my credit card with the access checks. The great part is that this genius used one of the checks to pay off the IRS, so his (or her) ss# is on the check and my credit card company just sent me a copy of the check showing the ss#. The other check was deposited into the persons account and with the copy I got now I know their account number. My advice would be to definitely report it to the police and contact some credit agencies such as equifax and you can get a free copy of your credit report because of this fraudulent activity.

 

[Barton]

Just a heads up: you want to getthis thing taken care of ASAP. all the schools i interviewed at require a clean credit report to even hold your acceptance spot. If your credit report has this type of stuff on it, schools can cancel an acceptance.

 

[Barin]

All schools??
It must be Gtown, BU, Finch and Jeff 🙂

 

[Amy B]

That is awful!!!!! Call the card companies, police and anyone else you can think of.

I also recall a post about someone who had someone else's info on their AMCAS application after one of the times AMCAS updated his file. the other person's name, SS #, birthplace, etc were in place of his info. He got it straigtened out, but that worried a lot of us knowing that our info could have been seen by others and used by someone to commit a crime a this nature.

CALL AMCAS and speak to someone now.

Good luck!!!