Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.
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, & nb sp; 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 ph otocopy 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, etc..
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. &n bsp; This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there eve r is one).
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 inf ormation 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.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) T rans Union : 1- 800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
Wow....thanks for the advise...but that's a lot of work. I mean, are there people out there that actually do all of this?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
At least some of it, and remeber, you can always (ok, yearly,) go to http://www.annualcreditreport.com to get a copy of your most recent credit report. Now, that is 1 from each of the companies once a year, so if you want, you can get it every 4 months, one from each company. I'm sure if you see something on one and take care of it, it will probably affect the others. Also, if you are denied for ANY type of credit and the company used your credit report in the motions of considering you for the credit / loan, you can get a copy of whatever they looked at.
I already got 1 from just 1 credit agency. I'll get another again next month, than the thrid at the end of the year.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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