A Valley woman is trying to figure out how a credit card that she never applied for was issued in her name.
When Ann Shepherd recently checked her mailbox, she discovered a Chase bank Visa card. The only issue is she never requested one.
Shepherd immediately called an agent who told her she did, in fact, apply for the credit card – or at least that’s what records indicated.
“They seemed to think that was a legitimate card, and I said, ‘No, I never applied,'” she said. “I’ve never used their bank before.”
Now she’s worried there are other credit cards out there with her name on it.
The Better Business Bureau is warning people about credit card scams and how not to fall victim.
If you get a credit or ATM card from a bank that isn’t yours, it should raise a red flag.
According to the BBB, it could mean someone is attempting to open cards in your name.
“It’s a domino effect,” a BBB spokesperson said. “Because once those credit cards start appearing in your mailbox, it’s going to continue on until they realize, 'Wait, that person has caught onto me.'”
Here’s what to do if you find an unwanted credit card in your mailbox:
- Cancel the new card
- Go to the Federal Trade Commission website and fill out an ID theft form
- Check your credit report for other cards
- Tell them to put a fraud alert on your account
