Lee Epstein
03-09-2009, 09:13 AM
I recently posted this in the members only section. Subsequently I have been asked to post it in the public section. So here it is:
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:
1. Do NOT sign the back of your credit cards. Instead,
write "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.
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, if it 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.
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. A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:
1. Do NOT sign the back of your credit cards. Instead,
write "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.
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, if it 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.
If you are willing to pass this information along, it could
really help someone that you care about.