A corporate Attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company and My Accountant sent this to me, so take it for what it is worth to you, but at least you know.
I did it. It is your ID- Protect it! It is FREE.
I strongly recommend doing this ASAP. I did it last year and re-did it again.
Because I did do it - It saved my credit history as well as the time & mental anguish if I had I NOT taken 5 minutes of my life to do this, I could have been spending months, even years trying to clean up my credit.
1. Don't sign the back of your credit cards, instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED". If you want to erase your signature use a Q-tip with a little alcohol
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card Accounts, DO NOT put the complete credit card 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 or be tempted to use it.
3. Put your work or cell phone # on your checks, instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use it or get one instead of your home address. If you don't have a PO Box, get one and use it from now on!
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card Accounts, DO NOT put the complete credit card 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 or be tempted to use it.
3. Put your work or cell phone # on your checks, instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use it or get one instead of your home address. If you don't have a PO Box, get one and use it from now on!
4.Never have your SS N # printed on your checks. You can write it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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).
8. Most important of all: Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations (numbers below) immediately to place a � Fraud Alert� on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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).
8. Most important of all: Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations (numbers below) 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. If they open the account without calling you it is there fault ONLY if you MAINTAIN every 90 days a FRAUD ALERT
Failure to do this now, WILL be too late to stop the crooks from opening up other accounts and allowing them to continue the damage while you fight to clear your name, they’ll have time to keep you chasing a ghost. DO IT NOW and take 5 minutes of your life.
1.) Equifax: 800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Admin.(fraud-line):800-269-0271
I also called my insurance company about a Credit fraud protection clause added to my policy. It is Cheap to do but worth the money should your credit and ID be compromised you’ll get some help as well as Insurance companies will take an effort to help resolve too by introducing stricter laws against ID Theft.
If everyone did this, it would make it easier to catch the bad guys by narrowing their ability.
I just photo-copied my information on my scanner and made a hard copy for my files as well as save the scanned copy to my hard drive with these instructions too.
Just in case I need to contact the credit reporting organizations.
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