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This is Excellent Advice and Not a Joke
LAWYER'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE
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. 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 won't 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 Social Security number 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 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 thief 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:
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.
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). But here's
what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
3. Call the 3 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 which called to tell me an application for
credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company who
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 thief's purchases, none of which
I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has
been done, and the thief 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, etc., 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.
But if you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
someone that you care about.
SEND THIS OUT AS AN EMAIL: it is stored at riseagainarchives. sign is
as riseagainguest and the password is onelove!
Lawyer's Advice
write to me at wayaequoni@riseagain.info
WADO!
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