Tips on dealing with Identity Theft
- When ordering 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.
- use your work phone # on your checks instead of
your home phone.
- use a P.O. Box or your work address instead of
your home address.
- Never have your SS#
printed on your checks. You can write it in yourself when
necessary.
- When write checks to pay your credit
card bills DO NOT put the complete account number
on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four
digits. The credit card company knows the rest of the
number, and anyone handles your check as it goes through
he processing channels won't have access to it.
- Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead,
put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED".
- 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 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.
An attorney has reported that his wallet was stolen with the
following consequences. 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 his driving
record information online, and more.
Here's some
critical information to limit the damage in case this
happens to you:
- We have been told we should cancel our credit cards
immediately, but the key to doing this is having the toll free
numbers and your card numbers handy so you know what numbers
to call. Keep those numbers where you can find them.
- File a police report immediately in the
jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were
stolen. This shows credit providers you were
diligent and serves as a first step toward an
investigation, if there ever is one.
- Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations
and the Social Security Administration fraud line
immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and
Social Security number so that if credit is requested
in your name the company in question will know your
information was stolen and will contact you by
phone to authorize new credit.
Here are the numbers to call:
- 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
By the time the victim was advised to do this, almost two weeks
after the theft, the damage had already been done. There
were records of all the credit checks initiated by the
thieves' purchases, none of which he knew about before
placing the alert. Since placing the alert, no additional damage
was done, and the thieves threw the stolen wallet away. Later
someone found it and turned it in to authorities.
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