Better yet.. CASH ONLY ;^)
At 01:57 PM 2/18/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>I have no idea how true/false this stuff is..but thought no harm in
>passing it along :)
>
>-Gel
>
>-----------
>A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his
>company:
>
>The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first
>name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your check book 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.
>
>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.
>
>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.
>
>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
>
>
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