本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛An Attorney's (USA) Advice about identity theft protection
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. 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.
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.
Pass this information along. It could really help someone
you care about.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
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. 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.
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.
Pass this information along. It could really help someone
you care about.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net