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.

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the
employees in his company:

The next time you order checks, omit your first name
and have only your initials 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 pu! t 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 computer, received a PIN number
from DMV to change my drivin! g 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 stole! n and th ey 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

Experianformerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

Trans Union:1-800-680-7289

Social Security Administration(fraud line):1-800-269-0271