My best friend passed this attorney's advice along to me for people who travel a lot.
> AN ATTORNEY'S ADVICE >=20 > A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his > company. >=20 > 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. >=20 > 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 it. >=20 > 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. Never have your SS# printed on > your checks. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it > printed, anyone can get it >=20 > 4. 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. >=20 > 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. >=20 > But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this > happens to you or someone you know: >=20 > 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 >=20 > 2. 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). >=20 > But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never even thought to do > this). >=20 > 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 in > their tracks. >=20 > The numbers are: >=20 > Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Hotline > 877/ID-THEFT >=20 > Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline > 800/269-0271 >=20 > Equifax fraud division > 800/525-6285 > P.O. Box 740250 > Atlanta, GA 30374 >=20 > Experian fraud division > 888/397-3742 > P.O. Box 1017 > Allen, TX 75013 >=20 > Trans Union fraud division > 800/680-7289 > P.O. Box 6790 > Fullerton, CA 92634 >=20 > 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. >=20
