Subject: Some good information
ATTORNEY'S ADVICE-----NO CHARGE
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."
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 will not 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. However, 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. Also carry a photocopy of your passport when
traveling either here or abroad. We have all heard horror stories about fraud
that is committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number,
credit cards.
6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys (and they all seem
to do that now), do not turn the "keys" in! Take them with you and destroy them.
Those little cards have on them all of the information you gave the hotel,
including address and credit card numbers and expiration dates. Someone with a
card reader, or employee of the hotel, can access all that information with no
problem whatsoever.
Unfortunately, as an attorney, I have first hand 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 and received a PIN number from DMV to change my
driving record information online. Here is 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. 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). However,
here is what is perhaps most important of all (I never even thought to do this.)
3. 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 dead in their tracks.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet and
contents being stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1- 888-397-3742
3.) TransUnion: 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.
Nevertheless, if you are willing to pass this information along, it could
really help someone about who you care.
OT: I did not know this!
Started by
flyers&divers
, Mar 11 2007 04:31 PM
1 reply to this topic
#1
Posted 11 March 2007 - 04:31 PM
"Successful trading is more about Sun Tzu then Elliott." F&D
#2
Posted 11 March 2007 - 05:16 PM
Also, another piece of free advice:
If you do not have a secured/locked mail box form which a postal employee picks up your mail, do not put any envelopes with any personal checks/information in them (e,g. paying the water bill, credit card company, Gas & electric, etc.) Many cases of identity fraud are started vis 'mailbox shoppers" who watch for those little red mailbox flags as if they were welcome mats, they steal your bills & info and can piece them together over just a week's worth of info to rob you blind.
Please take this information into consideration.
It appears they 'mailbox shoppers' are busiest during the first 2 weeks of April---- tax time....when you send the IRS info with your name, spousal information, address, social security numbers... all in one happy envelope...along with your check and your bank account number.
Do yourself favour, drop off your bills & IRS stuff in a secured mailbox or at the post office personally.
If you do not have a secured/locked mail box form which a postal employee picks up your mail, do not put any envelopes with any personal checks/information in them (e,g. paying the water bill, credit card company, Gas & electric, etc.) Many cases of identity fraud are started vis 'mailbox shoppers" who watch for those little red mailbox flags as if they were welcome mats, they steal your bills & info and can piece them together over just a week's worth of info to rob you blind.
Please take this information into consideration.
It appears they 'mailbox shoppers' are busiest during the first 2 weeks of April---- tax time....when you send the IRS info with your name, spousal information, address, social security numbers... all in one happy envelope...along with your check and your bank account number.
Do yourself favour, drop off your bills & IRS stuff in a secured mailbox or at the post office personally.