Identity Theft Protection

Mike sent out this information a while back and I am posting it again with a personal note. I had a phone call two years ago from Child Protective Services asking me why my minor daughter was employed full time. I at first laughed and thought it was funny ( I knew my kids were at school). I can be slow at times. Bethany had had her identity stolen. Criminals use this since at the time you could not pull credit reports for a minor child. I first called the police department and told them what I had known at that time. I was told that I had to know if her social security was being used for employment only, identity theft, or credit fraud and that they would not move on it until I knew what the full situation was. The Social Security Administration told us that they did not care if someone was paying into the system illegally, just if someone was getting paid illegally. I had to jump through legal hoops and join groups emailing legislators to get laws passed in order to get this information. I also was fortunate enough to do computer work for a law firm that deals specifically in credit law and was able to get directions on how to proceed several times in the last two years. You may now write the credit beareaus and ask them to lock your child's credit until they are 18 years old. All of our kids credit reports are now locked. Today we finally were able to call the police with an address
and phone number of the company where Bethany's social security number is being used. So without further rambling here again is the email Mike sent us because it needs to be retold and we need to monitor our kids identifying information.

An Attorney's Advice :

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:

- 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. 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.

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 on the Internet; we pass along just about everything. Pass this information along. It could really help someone you care about

Paul