tsitim
03-29-2004, 07:56 AM
> 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. 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.
>
>- 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
>
>We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
everything.
>Pass this information along. It could really help someone you care
about
;)
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. 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.
>
>- 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
>
>We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
everything.
>Pass this information along. It could really help someone you care
about
;)