ATTORNEY'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE
>>> 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. 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 P.O. Box, use that instead of your home
address.
>>> If you do not have a P.O 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 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 thieve(s) 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 about your
>>> wallet, etc., has been stolen:
>>> 1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
>>> 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
>>> 3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
>>> 4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
>>>
>>> We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
>>> everything.
>>> But if you are willing to pass this information along, it could
really
>>> help someone that you care about.
>>> 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. 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 P.O. Box, use that instead of your home
address.
>>> If you do not have a P.O 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 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 thieve(s) 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 about your
>>> wallet, etc., has been stolen:
>>> 1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
>>> 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
>>> 3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
>>> 4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
>>>
>>> We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
>>> everything.
>>> But if you are willing to pass this information along, it could
really
>>> help someone that you care about.
