Attorney's Advice
For Your Information:
*I thought this email has some very necessary advice for all of us -- so
check it out !!!! I have already been doing some of these things, but
it ALL makes good sense. *
*ATTORNEY\S ADVICE - FREE*
*Not A Joke!! **Even If you dislike attorneys..You will love them for
these tips.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**.'
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.
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. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It
printed, anyone can get it.
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.
Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand 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:
5.. 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.
6. **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.)
**7. **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 about your wallet, if
it 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.
If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
someone that you care about*
*Permission is granted to share.* However, please remove my name before
forwarding. Should you not be able to delete my name, please do not share
with others*. THANK YOU.
*
*I believe in God as being creator of all and pray he continues to Bless
America, our Troops & Our Allies**
*
*To continue being one nation under God and to keep our freedom, continue
reminding your local and Federal representatives. especially the newly
elected.*
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