Mayfair in Tampa Palms

Good Information for Everyone!!!

Mar 23, 2006

An Attorney's Advice...
and it's free! Isn't that amazing?

Read this and
make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.
Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent
the following out to the employees in his company:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 first hand 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 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 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: (I never even thought to do this....
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

We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about
everything.
Pass this information along. It could really help someone you care about.