Fw: Financial advice to avoid fraud.

[thecoalman]

Usually don't forward stuff but this has some pretty good tips.

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

The next time you order checks, omit your first name and have only
your initials 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 numbers 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 (DUH!) 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 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 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:
Experianformerly TRW):
Trans Union:
Social Security Administration(fraud line):

<snip>

Seems like some pretty good tips, note that I removed the phone numbers because I couldn't verify the first one so I just removed them all.

[Forum Troll]

This is why I use my Visa Gold check card for everything. I enrolled in the Verified program they offer just to be sure. I have one other credit card, but it only has a $200 limit. I just have it for reserving rental cars and other things that require a CC number.

[tweedledee]

Whenever I travel overseas I scan my Passport, driving licence, and all other documents, and store them in a folder on my email account. If I should lose my passport, I can go to the nearest OZ embaasy and show them the copies.
BTW, the account is probably harder to access than breaking into my house and stealing the details.

[pacmania_2001]

Read Frank Abangales The Art of the Steal, tells you alot about the various frauds and methods including check security.

America is one of the worst countries for check and credit fraud.

[lordsmurf]

www.freecreditreport.com
... and it REALLY is free this month.

[thecoalman]

www.freecreditreport.com
... and it REALLY is free this month.

Think I saw that in the news, they are requiring the credit reporting agencies to provide a free credit report once a year every year to anyone that wants one.

[lordsmurf]

Yeah, but right now EXPERIAN is making it super-simple this month.

[housepig]

Whenever I travel overseas I scan my Passport, driving licence, and all other documents, and store them in a folder on my email account.

that's hot - I'm going to remember that the next time I go abroad.