[MomWontGiveUp]

I received a letter in the mail that the address to my DD's UTTMA custodial account that I opened for her had been changed. The "old" address was mine and the "new" address was my ex's.

I've talked with the bank and they are not sure how this happened because I am legally the only person authorized to make any changes or transactions on the account. Not even my DD is allowed to make transactions. It was opened several years ago by me so that I could deposit funds my DD inherited from my father. I later moved those funds to a college fund with my broker (Thank God!) so there was only a small balance remaining in the account.

What concerns me is that if my ex was able to wiggle his way with the bank to change the address on the account, what other breaches of my security will he attempt or accomplish?

Is this considered identity theft if he used my personal information (and passed security questions) in order to make the change on the account?

[Fr_Chuck]

No, ID theft is if he pretended to be you, or had someone pretend to be you.

Merely giving their address to the bank and having them change an address

The bank broke bank rules by allowing someone else access to it.

[MomWontGiveUp]

no, ID theft is if he pretended to be you, or had someone pretend to be you.

Merely giving their address to the bank and having them change an address

The bank broke bank rules by allowing someone else access to it.

Chuck - the bank is adamant that they would not allow him or my daughter to make the changes. They won't allow address changes over the phone so the customer must either come into the bank to make the request or do it online.

If he came into the bank, he'd have to have someone pose as me (but then I'd think that person would need ID). The only access online to this account is through MY main account so if he did it online, then he was able to hack my passwords and answer security questions.

[ebaines]

The only access online to this account is through MY main account so if he did it online, then he was able to hack my passwords and answer security questions.

I'm pretty sure I could guess my wife's security question, especially if it's one of the canned questions that most financial institutions use. I certainly hope you have changed both your password and the security question to something he couldn't guess.

[ScottGem]

There are three possibilities here:

1) The bank allowed the info to be changed without following security procedures
2) He used false ID to have someone pretend to be you to effect the change
3) He managed to guess your security info to make the change online

I'm not sure you will be able to prove what happened. But, since it was changed to his address, you might be able to prove that he made the change without permission.

[MomWontGiveUp]

There are three possibilities here:

1) The bank allowed the info to be changed without following security procedures
2) He used false ID to have someone pretend to be you to effect the change
3) He managed to guess your security info to make the change online

I'm not sure you will be able to prove what happened. But, since it was changed to his address, you might be able to prove that he made the change without permission.

Thanks Scott. The 4th possibility (which is what happened) is that ex brought DD into the bank to open another account and her profile information attached to this account, even though it shouldn't have without my authorization.

The positive outcome of this is the realization of just how easy it would be for anyone's ex (or other person who has personal information) to make changes or access an account without permission.

I've now added additional passwords and used security questions that he would have no knowledge of the answers.

[ScottGem]

Who is DD?

It seems that this was not a deliberate act by the ex, but a mistake by the bank.

[ebaines]

DD= "Double D," I bet. As in 36DD.