[NPInfo] Fwd: Attorney's Advice MUST READ!!!!!!

[David Mittman]

>>
>> Subject: Attorney's Advice
>>
>> Attorney's ADVICE-NO CHARGE
>>
>> Not A Joke!! If you dislike attorneys..... You will love them for  
>> these tips.
>>
>> 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.   Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put  
>> "PHOTO ID REQUIRED."
>>
>> 2.   When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card  
>> accounts, DO NOT put the completeaccount 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  
>> yourSS#  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 wil l 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.
>>
>> 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:
>>
>> 5.   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.
>>
>> 6.   File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where  
>> your credit cards, etc., w ere stolen. This proves to credit  
>> providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an  
>> investigation (if there ever is one).
>>
>> But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I  never even  
>> thought to do this.)
>>
>> 7.   Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations  
>> immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the  
>> Social Security fraud line 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  
>> dead in their tracks.
>>
>> Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your  
>> wallet, if it has been stolen:
>>
>> 1.) Equifax:                1-800-525-6285
>>
>> 2.) Experian  (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
>>
>> 3.) Trans Union :      1-800-680 7289
>>
>> 4) Social Security Administration (fraud line):  1-800-269-0271
>>
>> We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about  
>> everything.
>> If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really  
>> help someone that you care about.
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> My best,
> Bonnie
>
>