ATTORNEY'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE

 

Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.
 

 

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in
 his company.  Maybe we should all take some of his advice!

          

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 (DUH!).  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, etc ..
 

 

Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first-hand 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: 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