When apartment hunting I ask that people email the application, I edit it and esign it and email it right back. As far as the check goes, you can do that electronically as well as long as you have the information and set up bill pay online with your bank.

I even had my landlord email my lease agreement to me as well. It's pretty slick and if heaven forbid you have to reference anything it's all there on the computer, in a sent items folder etc...

Thanks for giving me something else to worry about!

She may have to have the bank close her account and open a new one with a new number. I would call the credit bureaus and notify them. And frankly, I would also contact the police. Presumably the gym did, but I'd really like to make sure...

Here's a link from the Federal Trade Commission about what to do about identity theft: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt07.shtm

It says to file fraud reports and alerts, review your account information, and to report it to the FTC.

Personally, when I'm apartment hunting I put as little information on the inquiry sheets as possible. All the leasing office needs to know is my name, my contact information, and the type of home I'm looking for. Until I make up my mind about whether to live there, the leasing office doesn't need to know anything else. And if it presses for more information, it's pretty much off my list. Think about it this way: if you really do want to live there, why would you want to deal with pushy people?

to comment #1- Not every landlord is that saavy. Mine won't even let me pay my rent with an electronic check, which is really annoying.

For the time being, until things are sorted out, she can put a freeze on her credit to prevent people from taking out loans or opening credit accounts in her name. When she feels safe that the situation has been resolved she can unfreeze her credit.

Fraud alerts and keeping as much info held back until it absolutely needs to be given is savvy advice.
While this type of theft is scary and all necessary precautions should be taken, I would reassure myself that "criminal masterminds" that are breaking into gym lockers are probably looking for cash, jewelry and cell phones and are probably trashing everything else including the personal info pretty quickly.

Idiot landlord shouldn't have been carrying people's personal info around town & stashing it in a gym locker like that - Tho something makes me think it was a scam and HE's the one that's going to be using/selling folks personal info.

"And frankly, I would also contact the police. Presumably the gym did..."

Gyms rarely if ever do so.
They consider use of their lockers "At your own risk" - Calling the police and filing a report would imply a degree of responsibility on their part...
...and the police aren't too concerned with theft of pieces of paper these days.

As an individual landlord, we go through a service to do the background checks, other than calling references. I think (the last time we had to do this) that we collected some information, but then the potential renter had to complete it and sign off on it on their end. We felt that it was the best way. I also would say it was pretty irresponsible for him to be carrying the forms around and leave them in a gym locker...

Honestly, I ask potential landlords if bank information and Social Security Numbers are strictly necessary. 9 times out of 10, they aren't. I've found that showing a potential landlord a recent credit report is more than fine.

It doesn't hurt to ask!

Like goodpanda, I only fill in the information that is absolutely necessary.
Name, current address, phone number, e-mail and employer's and landlord's names and contacts.
If more is needed, I put a little note that says "Please contact" or something like that. I know they have to verify that I have a job, that I have a good rental history. Don't know that they need anything beyond that.

This is really a scary situation for your sister to find herself in! With any luck, the thieves will have thrown away what looks like a pointless piece of paper, and the landlord will give her the apartment for dealing with this situation!

I had the same worries recently filling out an application that wanted copies of bank statements, pay stubs, and savings account information. I ultimately told them I wasn't comfortable sharing all of that information -- so they backed down a little bit, but we didn't end up getting the apartment anyway.

I wonder though if they're taking the care to shred all of the applications that don't end up getting approved?

Scary situation! But I agree with some of the folks above. There's absolutely no reason for them to have your SSN. You can show a drivers license, a couple pay stubs, a letter of reference... that should be enough. I also have a beef with them running a credit check, since every time someone does that it's actually BAD for your credit! But I guess you do what you have to to get a great apartment. *sigh*

I still have concerns about one particularly thorough application I filled out with a realtor - just to be shown some apartments. Didn't even rent anything through him. Not that I think he would necessarily do anything with the info, but this was in the days of hard copies and he requested copies of pay stubs and stuff like that. Simple as throwing out old files without shredding them could cause a problem even years later - banks have been caught doing this, why not some random realtor...

I have *never* put my entire social security number on an paper application where it's requested. I will always leave the last 4 digits as **** for this very reason. When asked to provide a credit card number as a security against default on payment (Dr. Offices for example), I always change the the last few digits as well.

Most times this is never questioned. When it is, I explain that the information is my PII, and if it's lost or stolen my whole life could be compromised. Most people understand this. When it comes for the need to to a credit check, I do my own and provide the concerned party with copy. If that's not acceptable, then I don't want to do business with you.

As for credit card numbers, I don't give anyone any reason to use the number, so it's never come up that the number is incorrect.

I would definitely recommend freezing your credit if you do not anticipate upcoming credit check needs. It is really easy to do and you can always unlock it if needed (usually about $5-$10 or free of charge using a pin number the credit agencies provide). It's not a fix but it gives me so much more peace of mind.

p.s. and your sister should definitely get that apartment, no further questions asked by the landlord : 0

Here's a thought for everyone, play the "I'll-show-you-mine- if-you-show-me-yours" game - when you're asked to fill out an extensive application - ask the potential landlord for his information in return and run a credit check on him/her. With defaults on buildings at all time highs, why not give these people a taste of their own medicine? It is completely justifiable to say that you want to make sure that they are as credit worthy are you are :)

If the LL had everything stolen, how did he still have her contact info?

Your sister should call the credit bureaus immediately and have her credit frozen (with all 3 agencies - Fair Isaacs, Experian and Equifax).

What this will do is that if a person tries to apply for credit in her name the lender will not be able to pull credit and so cannot lend. This is much better than what they usually do, which is put a note to call the consumer - this is rarely ever done.

When a potential landlord took too long to check on an application I had filled out, I was forced to go with another apartment. I asked the potential landlord to mail me back my application, since I had already rented elsewhere. He did, but who's to say he didn't photocopy it? I think about that sometimes, but all I can do is keep an eye on my credit reports.

Thanks for posting this because it's something I've always thought about. I now tell potential landlords that I don't want to give my SSN, and most are understanding.

@leanemarie - email is NOT a secure transfer system. Sending your SSN, credit card numbers, etc. through email is not any safer than handing someone a piece of paper and, I would argue, possibly more destructive because you wouldn't know that your email message had been accessed by a third party until it was too late. At least in this situation, there was a physical object that was taken and the potential victims are able to take action before credit is damaged.

I would never give my SSN or bank info to a potential landlord! (and I've never had a problem getting an apt. either...).
Fortunately I was always apt. searching locally, so when asked for a credit check, I brought it up on my laptop, showed the landlord and never had a problem (obviously if you're looking out of the area, this wouldn't work).
Give them as little personal information as possible to avoid this kind of thing, otherwise you're kind of opening yourself up to all sorts of problems..

@ksduffster --

You're so right.
E-mail is also extremely easy to forward to someone else - even easier than pieces of paper.

There are people out there who collect this info and get paid $20-$50 per Name and SSN, Bank Account Number and/or Credit Card Number - the more you can do to push back and not give out this info the better.

In addition to the many smart comments about cautionary measures to take, I would add that you're not 'less safe' giving your information to one person as opposed to a management company. Even if he did take it to the gym, I don't really blame him. This seems like a freak occurrence. The point is to always assume your information could be compromised and minimize your exposure. I would never send personal information via unencrypted email.

While unfortunate, this is a HUGE over-reaction to what happened. There are major accidental disclosures of confidential information all the time - and then there is this http://www.technewsworld.com/story/70029.html?wlc=1274312981

Your biggest exposure to identity theft is Facebook, probably followed by sites like Classmates.com - and a host of other places you've entered information on-line without realizing that it can be pulled together and used to do truly bad things.

And how many of you enter personal information wirelessly, even if you're using WPA2 security - fail - not remotely secure. You should only do this stuff on a computer wired into the Internet.

I could go on but the bottom line is, yes, she should take reasonable precautions - but to stop looking at apartments to rent is a huge over-reaction.

NOT A SPAMMER: Consider buying identity theft insurance or restoration coverage, which provides you with an agency to clear up identity theft problems. I can't vouch for my policy, as I haven't had a claim yet, but I have an acquaintance who had his identity stolen TWICE - and the second time, with his coverage, it was a lot easier. It at least gives me a ton of piece of mind up front, and it's pretty inexpensive.

I lived in a co-op situation in Texas with a whole bunch of foreign students (mostly western European). When we were moving to a new building, the "new landlord" had us fill out their application, even though we were still renting through our Co-op agency. They had a place for SSNs, and several of my friends started to fill it out. My dad retired from Social Security after 30 years recently, and he drilled it into me that the only person who should ever see your SSN is your employer, and maybe, *maybe*, your doctor. I had them black out their numbers with ink, and we had no problem renting the place.

'course, it helps when a multi-million dollar company is actually the one doing the renting, but really, they shouldn't have any need for your SSN.

Talk to the bank to get account number changed. Then freeze your credit. EVERYONE should really freeze their credit unless they are currently shopping for new extensions of credit. That way, before anyone can open a new account, including you, you will find out.

Try contacting your state's attorney general's office for information about how to prevent ID theft.

I work in law enforcement...it's not completely unreasonable to be concerned about what this person was doing, but most criminals aren't sophisticated enough to really steal your identity. They take tangible items (i.e. ipods, cash, jewelry) that can be more easily converted into things they can actually USE NOW (i.e. drugs).

Definitely file a police report now in case later YOU end up in trouble for something THEY did (like write a hot check on your now closed account). You'll have more credibility that way.

So sorry this happened! People suck sometimes...

That sucks. Sounds like she is being proactive, good.
Lame negligent landlord. Hope she doesn't consider taking that apt, he might be irresponsible in other ways too.

And no, at least not in Seattle, you don't need to give your ss#. I don't put it on apt forms ever. And when I was managing a building here, I didn't ask for it and it wasn't even on our form(and certainly didn't need it). I've also never given a landlord my bank account # on a form, and no one has asked, and they end up with it anyway if I give them a check.

landlords shouldn't need any ssn or sin (canada). all they should need are good references from previous landlords. In BC, where I used to live, landlords were continually asking for your income and would discriminate on that basis, even though it was illegal. I made a point of making up income and making up marital status. it was absolutely none of their business. I paid my rent on time and didn't damage their property. that's all they needed to know.

I am _so_ glad that we are now in a part of the country where we have been able to buy a place. landlords, in my experience, are just too quick to power trip.

I think landlords should only be entitled to know if you are working (can pay for the apartment/house) and if you've rented a place before and that you paid promptly.

All I ever gave landlords was my name, my employers' name, a letter from my employer if necessary, my last address and a landlord reference for that address. That's it. I NEVER give anyone my SS number or bank information unless it's for my taxes or the like and I've never handed over a credit report either, which was worrying me because I have a bankruptcy due to medical bills in the past. I've still managed to rent fairly easily though with just the landlord's reference and employee info.

I hope your sister gets this sorted out with as little pain as possible.