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. 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 |