jimrlong.com's Free Advice From An Attorney

An Attorney's Advice ...and it's free!  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:

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.

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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