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ATTORNEY'S ADVICE --
A corporate attorney sent
the following out to the employees in his company.
1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of
first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they
will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your
first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put
"PHOTO ID REQUIRED".
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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, and credit cards.
Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet
was stolen last month. Within a week, the thief 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:
1. 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.
2. 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.)
3. Call the 3 national credit-reporting organizations immediately to place
a fraud alert on your name and Social Security 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 if your wallet, etc.,
has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly! TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-72894.) Social Security
Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
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