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BEFORE your IDENTITY is stolen...
1. The next time you order checks, instead of putting your first name, have only your initials and last name printed on them. That way, if someone takes your checkbook, they will not know your first name, or know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks. This difference in signatures could help out later if you have to prove those checks were stolen.
2. DO NOT sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, you should write: "PHOTO ID REQUIRED." Again, if the stores do not follow this direction, and your credit cards are used by thieves, the stores share in the blame for unauthorized charges on your cards.
3. 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 or five digits.
The credit card company knows the rest of your number but anyone who steals your bank statement, or might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels, will not have access to it.
4. If possible, put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone.
5. NEVER NEVER have your Social Security Number printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary, but if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
6.Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Copy both sides of your drivers license, credit cards, etc. That will help you to remember what was in your wallet or purse in case you need to report it stolen.
Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Copy both sides of your drivers license, credit cards, etc. That will help you to remember what was in your wallet or purse in case you need to report it stolen.The copies you make will have the account numbers you need to cancel, and the phone numbers you need to call to report the theft. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
7. Also carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud committed by stealing a name, address, and Social Security number from a passport.
8. NEVER NEVER allow anyone to take your credit card out of your sight! If you eat in a restaurant, do not give your credit card to the waiter to pay for your meal. The extra time it takes for you to pay the Cashier as you leave the restaurant may save you from many years of complicated and expensive credit repair.
9. Shred any mail with your name or personal information on it before placing it in the trash.
10. Buy a Locking Mailbox to protect your mail until you can retrieve it at your leisure. Your mail contains info about you that you don't even want your own family and friends to know; why would you leave it so easily available to a total stranger?
If you travel out-of-town frequently, a locking mailbox is a must have! A large Locking Mailbox can also protect your packages from theft and weather damage.
11. NEVER NEVER place your outgoing mail -- especially payments -- in your mail box for the postman to pick up. The red flag will not only alert the mailman you have outgoing mail, but will alert everyone else (especially criminals) that you have mail that is sitting there free for the taking.
12. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to regularly monitor your Credit Reports from all three bureaus. It can give you one of the first signs that your identity has been targeted, or if it has already been tampered with.
13. If you will be out of the country (this is especially true for active duty military) please place a "fraud alert" on your SS# with the credit bureaus so that no one can open new accounts without speaking directly with you.
Following just these few suggestions could greatly help to prevent identity theft before it happens.
Read more Identity Theft Facts from the Federal Trade Commission
The information and suggestions below were gathered from various Attorneys that specialize in helping people not only to prevent Identity Theft, but what they should do after their Identity has been stolen.
AFTER your IDENTITY is stolen...
Unfortunately, many people have firsthand knowledge of the heartbreak caused by having their Identity stolen. Here is a sad first-hand story from a woman who had her identity stolen. And the sad part is - she never even knew how or when the theft occurred.
Within only a few days of the theft, the thieves had ordered a very expensive cell phone package and had applied for - and received - two VISA credit cards with very large credit limits. They then quickly started hitting the stores: buying - among other things - plasma TVs, DVD players, digital cameras, tools, auto stereo systems, computers, along with some very expensive jewelry and leather goods.
The thieves then received a PIN number from the DMV online to change her driver license info and requested a duplicate driver's license that would have allow them to do even more damage to this poor woman's life. They had even contacted a mortgage company about taking out an equity loan on her home.
Many times criminals like this turn in a change of address card to have all new mail forwarded, so the victim would not be aware anything was going on for weeks. (This is another reason to monitor your credit report.)
Of course the thieves had wiped her out and had disappeared before the police could get any identification from the Stores where the criminals had done their shopping.
* * * * * *
Here is some critical information to help limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
1.One of the first things you should do is to file a police report ASAP in the jurisdiction where your credit cards and personal information were stolen. This action proves to your creditors you were diligent, and this will initiate the first step toward an investigation.
One of the first things you should do is to file a police report ASAP in the jurisdiction where your credit cards and personal information were stolen. This action proves to your creditors you were diligent, and this will initiate the first step toward an investigation. 2.Next you should report the theft to your credit card companies and CLOSE ALL of your accounts. The key to doing this quickly is having copies of your credit cards (front and back) stored away in a safe place. The copies will have the phone numbers to call that will immediately disable your credit cards.
Next you should report the theft to your credit card companies and CLOSE ALL of your accounts. The key to doing this quickly is having copies of your credit cards (front and back) stored away in a safe place. The copies will have the phone numbers to call that will immediately disable your credit cards. 3.If you think there is a chance that your bank account is in jeopardy, you must go into your bank (in person) and close that account immediately so that you can stop any further theft from that source. And do NOT have your new account checks sent to your home in case the thieves already have your mail forwarded to them.
If you think there is a chance that your bank account is in jeopardy, you must go into your bank (in person) and close that account immediately so that you can stop any further theft from that source. And do NOT have your new account checks sent to your home in case the thieves already have your mail forwarded to them.4. But here's what is perhaps most important of all: Call the three National Credit Reporting Organizations as soon as possible and place a Fraud Alert on your name and Social Security Number.
A fraud alert on your account BEFORE A THEFT will tell the credit bureau they have to contact you before any new credit can be authorized, and that will stop any further action by the thieves. And letting them know about the current theft will tell them your ID has been stolen and they can help police if new credit applications come in.
Most people have never heard of reporting their theft to the Credit Bureaus, and neither did the woman mentioned above, until she was advised by the bank that an application for credit was made over the Internet in her name.
Sadly, by the time she was advised to do this (more than three weeks after the theft) all the damage had been done. There was a long record of the numerous credit requests initiated by the thieve's for credit, none of which she knew about before placing the alert and viewing her credit reports. Since then, no additional damage has been done. The Fraud Alert seems to have stopped the criminals dead in their tracks, -- if only she had known to do this sooner!
If IDENTITY THEFT should happen to you, following the advice above will help, but you will also need help to UNDO the damage done. There are professional Credit Repair Services that will lead you down the credit repair path, or will actually do the repair work for you. It is really not a good idea to try to do it yourself because your inexperience could end up costing you even more time and money. A good preventative is LIFELOCK (see our ad).
IMPORTANT TIPS AND PHONE NUMBERS
Here are the numbers you should contact in the event your Identity is ever stolen:
1.) Equifax:
1-800-685-1111 2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union:
1-800-888-4213
4.) Social Security Admin:
1-800-772-1213Content Copyright © 2004 - revised 2006 - revised 2008 ©
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With the rapid increase in identity theft and mail theft, every single business and home in this country will need to have a Locking Mailbox.
Even if you do not find a Mail Box you like in our Store, please continue to search for one that will supply the security you need.
Over 1,000 people are victimized by mail theft every single day in the United States — that's once every 1.3 minutes.
