Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday. We pass this information on to victims that report credit card fraud & idenity theft Unfortinately many victims have firsthand knowledge, after the fact because their Wallet was lost or stolen from thier purse while shopping or via a vehicle or home burglary. Within hours, the person(S) can order an Expensive cell phone package, apply for a VISA credit card, have A credit line approved to buy a computer, request a PIN number from DMV to change your 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: Protecting your self from Idenity Theft! 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. 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. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on people by stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards. 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 or lost. This proves to credit Providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an Investigation (if there ever is one) most credit card companies require a police report to be filed if the charges exceed $500.00. But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (Most people never even think 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 you report the loss or theft of the credit/debit cad all the damage has been done. There are records of all the Credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, some even caught on video .. Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen: 1.) Equifax: 800-525-6285 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 888-397-3742 3.) Trans Union: 800-680-7289 4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):800-269-0271 Educating the public one step at a time....
and it's not just theft that gets ya... a friend of mine was being used by her (now ex) bf of 8 years without her knowledge! he opened and maxed out credit cards in her name, used her health insurance plan, and went around actually using her name! sad sign of the times... ya can't trust anyone...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Feb 27 2007, 09:36 PM) [snapback]397587[/snapback]</div> All good info, I received an email with these details a year or two ago, but it's worth seeing again. Since I read originally it, I've had a couple of credit cards expire and received new ones or was issued new ones due to some security change in the card. I dutifully put "Ask for ID" on the signature line. I'm only estimating here, but maybe 1 out of every 20 cashiers will ask for ID. Most don't even look at the back of the card, which is bad enough. The ones that get me are those that turn it over, pretend to read it (I printed this VERY legibly), and then just hand it back. It's a great idea, and will continue to do it, but when only one half of the equation has a vested interest in your security, well....
I went thru this 5 years ago after a house break-in. All good points. It takes a long time to get everything back to normal. Another tip is to document everyone you talk to as you go thru the process of recovery.
BTW - I just called a few of the numbers. Here is the number you need to call: 1- 877-322-8228 or Free www.annualcreditreport.com
if you call up the credit bureaus and tell them you don't want pre-approved offers of credit, they'll quit sending them to you... making it harder for someone to open a credit card in your name by stealing your mail. also less crap to throw away daily :lol: 1-888-5-opt out also ask credit card companies to stop sending you those blank checks... oh those things drive me crazy
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ZenCruiser @ Feb 27 2007, 09:55 PM) [snapback]397597[/snapback]</div> Thanks Galaxee, this one I hadn't heard of !
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Feb 27 2007, 06:36 PM) [snapback]397587[/snapback]</div> Great reminders, PG and others... BUT, as to #1... I once had a credit card that showed my photo AND sig on the front of the card, so on the back, I wrote "see front of card." That card was NOT ACCEPTED at many places, including the Post Office, because the drones are trained not accept any card, under any circumstances, that are not signed on the back. Just a warning from one who has been there... Oh yeah...one other thing to add to the list. Somehow, a few years ago, someone managed to get the mailing address changed for one of our cards. Apparently, that particular scam is that you'll not notice the statements coming for a while, then, once the dust settles--they have your card. Strangely enough, they had somehow managed to get a different forwarding address for my husband's card and for mine. I just HAPPENED to notice I'd not seen a statement from that account for too long a time--but not for long enough for the crooks to start using it. We WERE late on the payment for that period, but managed to reason with the bank to get "overdue" notices/fees removed. The moral of the story is...make sure you know when your statement is supposed to arrive. If you don't see it when you are supposed to--CALL THE BANK!
#1 is a financial urban legend - it's better to sign the credit card. From this MSN Money article The rest of the information is good though. The fraud alert thing can be a hassle when you actually apply for a new loan or credit card, but it's worth it.
I have a secure mailbox so that, hopefully, it takes a lot of effort to steal mail from it. I have a really good shredder that chops paper up in to little rectangles to make it difficult to piece back together. I shred everything that I don't want to keep, even junk mail, so that, again, the thieves would have a really difficult time finding anything useful. I also dump the shredded material in the middle of a bag of trash and make sure to put wet garbage on top of it. Make it as hard for the dumpster divers as you can because they like an easy job of stealing. If it's difficult and time-consuming, they will probably pass on your trash. If you get a reputation of having useless trash, they may not even try.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Mar 1 2007, 10:16 AM) [snapback]398446[/snapback]</div> Oh that one call I dislike, Help police someone broke into my mailbox ! Regretfully mailboxes fall under US Post master, not the police....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Mar 1 2007, 11:21 AM) [snapback]398497[/snapback]</div> And your point?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Mar 1 2007, 11:49 AM) [snapback]398516[/snapback]</div> I will elaborate / clarify my statement, Ok there are several types of mailboxes. ones that are mounted to the wall or on a post by the street. Normally these types are paid for by the resident & installed by same. Some newer neighborhoods and apt/condos have a community mailbox it will have multiple mailboxes in one unit. I get calls for damaged mailboxes where someone has run it over or hit it with a bat ect. mostly its the mailboxes that stand out by the street. Again the ones paid for by the resident.. (I will go out and do a report on those as that really is personal property).. The multi-boxes are the property of the US Mail and they are responcible for repair or dammage and they do their own report even if we are called we just call the post master and report it to them. I had to respond to a multi-box call one day, where the mail man didnt secure the box so anyone could take anyones mail.. I stood by for 2 hrs. until a post person could come out and relock the box.... Today I got called to a womans house because the neighbors kids were climbing in their own tree and she didnt think it was safe.... :huh: I had one this morning a woman called to report vandalism to her home, I arrived and guess what it was??? A broken beer bottle in the road in front of her drive way & she wanted someone to clean it up.... :blink: Some people call for the dumbest things....
