Read this and
make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it
some day. Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A
corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in
his company.
* The next time
you order checks have only your initials (instead of first
name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your check
book 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.
* 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.
* 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 Social
Security number
printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is
necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
* 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, etc.
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
* 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 easily.
* File a police
report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen,
this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a
first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what
is perhaps most important (I never even thought to do this).
* Call the three
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 in their tracks.
The numbers are
Equifax 1-800-525-6285; Experian (formerly TRW)
1-888-397-3742; Trans Union 1-800-680-7289; Social Security
Administration (fraud line) 1-800-269-0271
