Tips for protecting your ID identity
A friend sent this to us via email.
They are supposedly from a Lawyer who had his wallet stolen. While that may or may not be true, though it probably is, regardless of who was the 'author', the information is valid.
So, without further ado, here are some very helpful Tips:
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"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. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED'
(I called my credit card company and they agreed with this! You'll still be amazed how few times you'll be asked to show I.D.)
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 your number AND you signature!
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.
4. 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 photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will not only know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers, but also the phone numbers (on the back of your cards) to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
6. When traveling abroad, carry a photocopy of your passport in case it gets lost!
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 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:
7. 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. The photocopy you made of the contents of your wallet will give you those numbers quickly!
8. 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.)
9. 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 if your wallet is stolen:
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
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