Attorney’s Advice-Not a Joke
Read this and make a copy for your files. You may need these helpful tips one day.
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 account, Do not put the complete account number on the ‘For line’. 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 number 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 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.
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.
Always carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling either here or abroad. We have all heard horror stories about fraud that’s committed on us in stealing a name, address, social security, and credit cards. If someone steals your information, here is some critical information to limit the damage.
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 it this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here is what is perhaps most important of all:
7. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the social security fraud line number. The alert means any company that checks credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
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