Good advice... I\'m going to do this! Someday!
An Attorney's Advice - Actually good advice!
Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to
it some day.
Subject: An Attorney's Advice Maybe we should all take some of his
advice!
A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his
company:
* 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.
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.
__________________
The goal in Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "whooo hoooo (!) what a ride!"
|
Linear Mode
