Read this and make a copy for
your files in case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we
should all take some of his advice! A corporate Attorney sent
the following out to the employees in his company.
1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards.
Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
2.. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card
Accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For'
line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card
company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be
handling your check as it passes through all the check
processing channels won't have access to it.
3.. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home
Phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home
address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.
Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add
it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can
get it.
4.. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine.
Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know
what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and
phone numbers to Call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe
place. I also carry a Photocopy of my passport when I travel
either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about
fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address,
Social Security number, credit cards.
Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge
because my Wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the
thieves) ordered an Expensive monthly cell phone package,
applied for a VISA credit card, had A credit line approved to
buy a
Gateway computer, received a PIN number From DMV to
change my driving record information online, and more. But
here's some critical information to limit the damage in case
this happens to you or someone you know:
5.. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards
immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and
your card Numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those
where you can find them.
6.. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where
your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit
Providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward
an Investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never
even thought to do this.)
7.. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations
Immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call
the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of
doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an
application for credit was made over The Internet in my name.
The alert means any company that checks your Credit knows your
information was stolen, and they have to contact you by Phone
to authorize new credit.
By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after
the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of
all the Credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases,
none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since
then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves
threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It
seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about
your wallet, etc., has been stolen:
1.)
Equifax:
800-525-6285
2.)
Experian (formerly TRW):
888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 800-6807289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line) :
800-269-0271
If you are willing to pass this information along, it could
really help someone that you care about.
