sleepymaggie (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sleepymaggie) wrote2005-06-28 07:05 am
sleepymaggie) wrote2005-06-28 07:05 am
Entry tags:
Forward
My mom sent me this forward. Normally, all the forwards I get go directly into the trash, after a brief scan to see how insane they are. With this one, I'm not sure how insane it is -- its a bunch of lawyery advice about what to do if your wallets stolen.
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".
** I know that at least this piece is wrong (or illegal or something). If you try to use that card in the post office, they'll yell at you and either a) refuse to accept it and demand other payment or b) force you to sign the card right there in front of them. The reason I was given is that its not useable unless signed on the back.
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 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.) 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.
But if you are willing to pass this information along,
it could really
help someone that you care about.
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".
** I know that at least this piece is wrong (or illegal or something). If you try to use that card in the post office, they'll yell at you and either a) refuse to accept it and demand other payment or b) force you to sign the card right there in front of them. The reason I was given is that its not useable unless signed on the back.
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 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.) 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.
But if you are willing to pass this information along,
it could really
help someone that you care about.