Tips to Avoid Identity Theft or Limit the Damage

On check safety:

The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name)

and last name put on them. If someone takes your check book they will not

know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name but

your bank will know how you sign your checks. 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.

On Credit Cards:

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.

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in

stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards, etc.

Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my

wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) 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.

But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this

happens to you or someone you know:

We have been told you should

cancel your 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 easily. File a police report

immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to

credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an

investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important:

Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to

place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security 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 in their tracks.

The numbers are:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

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

Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

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

Against junk mail offers:

Write to Mail Preference Service, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512 to get

your name off direct mail list.

Opt out of Pre-approved Credit Card Offers

(888) 5-OPT-OUT / (888)567-8688

A couple of good web sites are:

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs1a-basics.htm