Identity Theft Advice from an Attorney
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 SS# printed on your checks. 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.
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:
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 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.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been
stolen:
1.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
2.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
3.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
4.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
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.
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