Fw: Attorney's Advice - Good Stuff

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ATTORNEY'S ADVICE

 

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 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,

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.) TransUnion: 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.