advice, identity theft - crossposted

February 5, 2004

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.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first

name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook 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.

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, 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:

1. 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

2. 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).

3. 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- Experian (formerly TRW): 1- Trans Union:

1- Social Security Administration (fraud line):

1- 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.

February 6, 2004

ROFLMBO

Were you following me around

TTFN CINDY

February 6, 2004

After spending 23 years in law enforcement, I have a major problem with #1.

It doesn't matter if you put your name on your checks or not. You could have

" Bozo the Clown " written on the top, and sign it " Jack the Ripper, if you

wanted to. When they clear the bank, the bank hasn't scanned your signature.

I did a number of years, working bank security, off duty, and watched the

scans go through.. You could pay everything you owe and never sign a check,

and unless you tell the bank you have a problem, a human never sees your

check, or checks the signature. It goes through a reader that scans the

routing number, the account number, and the amount. That's it. Nobody cares

what your name is or your initials are.

Jac

Friends are angels who lift you up, when your wings have forgotten how to

fly.

http://www.pictureitdigitaldesigns.com/

http://members.cox.net/XXXFARMPAINTS

mail to: jholdaway@...

advice, identity theft - crossposted

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.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first

name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook 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.

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, 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:

1. 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

2. 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).

3. 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- Experian (formerly TRW): 1- Trans Union:

1- Social Security Administration (fraud line):

1- 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.

Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

February 6, 2004

Never thought about it, but it appears you are correct - the grocery has

put my check through without a signature (senior moment), and I erred

and sent my cable TV bill check to the electric company and the electric

company bill check to the cable TV company - and both deposited them

with nary a glance.

Amber/FLRN

advice, identity theft - crossposted

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.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of

first

name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook 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.

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, 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: 1. 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 2. 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).

3. 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- Experian (formerly TRW): 1- Trans

Union: 1- Social Security Administration (fraud line):

1- 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.

Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

Unsubscribe: mailto:Graduate-OSSG-unsubscribe

February 6, 2004

BTW, you can give your check (book) to anyone you want to, tell them to

write checks, and sign THEIR NAME on it, and it isn't forgery or fraud, as

long as they have your permission (verbal) to do it. I write checks on my

aunt's account when I go to see her.

She hands me her checkbook, tells me what she wants, and I go get it for

her. And I ALWAYS sign MY name on the checks, not hers. It has never been

questioned. My name is not on her account. The checks have always cleared.