[Elfsea] Fwd: Good advice

[Julie Self]

>From: K Hackett <driftingleaf at go.com>
>To: ShirleyWhirley23 at cs.com
>Subject: Good advice
>Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 22:38:25 -0800 (PST)
>
>Good Advice
>This was passed along to me by a friend and thought I
>would share it with you.
>
>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 this out to the employees in
>his company.. I pass it along, for your information.
>We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's
>committed using your name, address, SS#, credit, etc.
>Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens
>to be an attorney) have firsthand knowledge, because
>my wallet was stolen last month and 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 nformation
>online, and more.
>
>But here's some critical information to limit the
>damage in case this happens to you or someone you
>know. As everyone always advises, 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: (I never
>ever thought to do this) Call the three national
>credit reporting organizations immediately to place a
>fraud alert on your name and SS#. 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 2
>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; we pass along just about
>everything.. Do think about passing this information
>along. It could really help someone.
>
>I hope and pray that you or someone you know will
>never need this advice but an ounce of prevention is
>worth a pound of cure.
>*******************************
>
>
>
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