What to do if your information is stolen.

[27hand]

I had this forwarded to me recently.
I got it well over a year ago and made a copy but thought I would pass it along for anyone who hasn't seen it.

If this has been posted before, sorry.

Subject: Fw: What to do if your information is stolen......
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:10:26 +0000
> 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. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put
> 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
>
>
>
> 2. 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.
>
>
>
> 3. 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. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if
> you have It printed, anyone can get it.
>
>
>
> 4. 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:
>
>
>
> 5. 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.
>
>
>
> 6. 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.)
>
>
>
> 7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations
> immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social
> Security fraud line 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 dead in their tracks.
>
>
>
> Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about
> your wallet, etc., has been stolen:
>
>
>
> 1.) Equifax: 800-525-6285
>
>
>
> 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 888-397-3742
>
>
>
> 3.) Trans Union : 800-6807289
>
>
>
> 4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):800-269-0271
>
>
>
> We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
> everything.
>
>
>
> If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
> someone that you care about

27hand

[Montanya]

Some good advice there, my comments are in bold

I had this forwarded to me recently.

> 1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put
> 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
Read the card, "Not valid unless signed" there are some retailers that are going by this now. I have it on my cards that says "SEE ID" and it is signed beneath it. Just something to be aware of there
>
>
>
> 2. 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.
The people who process your check have access to your account to process your payment, they have access to your account number and more already.
>
>
>
> 3. 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. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if
> you have It printed, anyone can get it.
Only issue here is some places you use a check, the address on the check MUST match your ID/DL, if it doesn't they will not accept it, not everyone does this but I have had placed with an old address on a check and they won't take it.
>
>
>
> 4. 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.
GREAT ADVICE!
>
>
>
> 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:
>
>
>
> 5. 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.
>
>
>
> 6. 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.)
>
>
>
> 7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations
> immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social
> Security fraud line 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.
Only issue with that is it will stay on your credit report indefinatly. So when YOU go to apply for a loan, credit card, bank account etc, you are gonna have issues.
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
>
> Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about
> your wallet, etc., has been stolen:
>
>
>
> 1.) Equifax: 800-525-6285
>
>
>
> 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 888-397-3742
>
>
>
> 3.) Trans Union : 800-6807289
>
>
>
> 4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):800-269-0271
>
>
>
> We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
> everything.
>
>
>
> If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help
> someone that you care about

27hand

[Roscoe]

Some great tips thanks guys.............

[27hand]

Some good advice there, my comments are in bold

Good follow up Monty.

Thanks for the additional Info.

27

[jsb889]

Thanks for the info! I've always been curious of what to do if I lost my wallet or had it stolen. Now I know

[widearea]

The fraud alert only lasts 90 days unless you get an extended fraud alert that lasts seven years. You need a police report to file an extended alert. You also need only notify one agency..it is then their responsibility to notify the other agencies. They will also take you off the pre-approved lists for credit and insurance offers for six months...less junk mail...

You will have to prove you are who you say you are when applying for credit but it is not a big deal.

[er2006]

27hand, Thanks for the good info, I had received this also in a somehat similar format , but like everything else it wound up somewhere else . I will file this away with the Taxes and other documents.

Ed from er2006

[jeremyduffy]

Keep in mind that fraud alerts DO NOT BLOCK ACCESS to your credit reports. Only credit freezes do this.

You have to pay a one-time fee to lock down your credit files and you'll also have to pay another fee to lift the freeze temporarily when you're applying for credit, but if you are like most people and don't apply for credit many times in a year, this won't cost you near as much as a "monitoring" or "insurance" plan like lifelock etc.And best of all, it actually works (which the other two don't).

I checked your state law and it looks like you guys have a pretty weak freeze statute. It's going to cost you 10 dollars to freeze or thaw your credit, but that's still a good deal. The only drawback is you have to replace them every 7 years. However, Credit freezes are free if you are an ID Theft victim.

Anyway for more information see:

http://www.jeremyduffy.com/top-issue...urity-freezes/
http://www.consumersunion.org/campai...4indiv.html#PA

[dnar]

Yesterday I was checking my bank statement (Wachovia) online and discovered that an internet provider (NETZERO) has been charging my account for several months now for their services, even though I never signed up with them. I called my bank and was on the phone with the theft/fraud department for almost an hour trying to set things straight. They ended up canceling my credit/check card and will be sending me a replacement card within 10 days. What a pain in the neck.

[widearea]

Yesterday I was checking my bank statement (Wachovia) online and discovered that an internet provider (NETZERO) has been charging my account for several months now for their services, even though I never signed up with them. I called my bank and was on the phone with the theft/fraud department for almost an hour trying to set things straight. They ended up canceling my credit/check card and will be sending me a replacement card within 10 days. What a pain in the neck.

Any idea how they got your cc #?