Identity Theft Prevention Ideas

This was sent to me and I thought I would pass this on.
I agree with most of the advice given here. My personal comments are in red.


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 this 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.' (Keep in mind retailers require that you sign your card and can refuse to accept it if it’s not signed. Some do not even check especially since you can swipe it yourself. It really depends on the cashier you get. If thieves have your wallet, they have your photo ID anyway. Credit card companies need to come up with a better way to help keep our cards safe.)

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. (True and you can do that and it’s not a bad idea, but remember, every time you make a purchase they have your account # anyway. I pay my credit card bill online and rarely write checks anymore anyway.)

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. (I don't agree that you should add your work address and phone # to the check unless you own the company. If you were ever to leave that company you will still get info sent to that address in your name for months to come. You don't want your personal info being sent to work.You should also never need to add your SS# to a check for any reason. Only companies that report taxes, credit reports, etc. are allowed to require your SS# and should never need it on a check. Any other company asking for it doesn’t need it and should provide a customer #, not use your SS#.)

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. (Good idea, but in case you can’t read the small print on the copy of the cards write the info on the copies)

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 thieves 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. (What concerns me the most is that you can change driving record info online. I’m not sure you can actually do that or not, but that should only be allowed to be done in person. There are some things that should not be allowed to do online!)

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, if it has been stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289

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


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.

(Thanks to my brother Mark for passing this on)