Posted by kkdmiddleton on 2/10/06 12:21pm
Msg #96083

Thought I'd pass this along. Very interesting.

Attorney's Advice - No Charge

To All:

Reduce the aggravation in your life. A minute or two of careful reading may help you avoid an unpleasant situation.

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE-----NO CHARGE

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.



1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, 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.



2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED."



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 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 will not have access to it.



4. 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. However, if you have it printed, anyone can get it.



5. 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 if your wallet is lost/stolen. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling either here or abroad.



6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys (and they all seem to do that now), do not turn the "keys" in. Take them with you and destroy them. Those little cards have on them all of the information you gave the hotel, including address and credit card numbers and expiration dates.



Here is some critical information to limit the damage in case your cards are stolen:



1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. 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.



2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).



3. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.



Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet and contents being stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742

3.) TransUnion: 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.

Nevertheless, if you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone about who you care.

Reply by srnotary_CA on 2/10/06 12:25pm
Msg #96084

Thats some good advice. I have never thought about it. I lost my wallet back in september and had to cancel everything. Then the person who found it called and gave it back. It was such a pain because I had to close out my checking account as well. Because the check book was in my wallet too.

Reply by kkdmiddleton on 2/10/06 12:29pm
Msg #96085

I don't carry my checkbook in my wallet for that very reason. Now, if my purse got stolen, then I'm out of luck!

Reply by srnotary_CA on 2/10/06 12:48pm
Msg #96089

I don't carry a purse. I have an organizer that I use. Since the kids started coming it was just one less thing ot fight with. So Now I leave the checkbook in the locked glove box in my locked car. LOL

Reply by kkdmiddleton on 2/10/06 12:52pm
Msg #96091

I hear ya. I use to just use the diaper bag as a purse, but

since I've started this biz, I started using one again. Not that it goes anywhere except my car.

Reply by srnotary_CA on 2/10/06 12:55pm
Msg #96094

Re: I hear ya. I use to just use the diaper bag as a purse, but

Alot of times I take my license and bank card and put them in my pocket. That drives the hubby crazy. Oh Well. It is much easier when shuffling kids and diaper bags and everything else.

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 2/10/06 12:59pm
Msg #96099

Re: I hear ya. I use to just use the diaper bag as a purse, but

I have a spreadsheet of all my info. - including account numbers, 1800's, username and passwords to use on the website, etc. I keep this in a hidden place in case anything was stolen or iuf something happened to me. A couple people know where to locate this list in case of an emergnecy. Since I do most everything on line now, it is important to make sure your spouse, or mother, or whoever you can trust, can access this data.

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 2/10/06 1:32pm
Msg #96110

kkd - FYI...your web link is not working. n/m

Reply by kkdmiddleton on 2/10/06 1:35pm
Msg #96111

Thanks, I know. Had a problem earlier. They were supose to

fix it. Hopefully soon.

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 2/10/06 1:36pm
Msg #96112

Re: Thanks, I know. Had a problem earlier. They were supose to

Very good. Just wanted to make sure you knew.

Reply by Kimberly Middleton on 2/10/06 2:03pm
Msg #96123

Thanks for lettin me know :)

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 2/11/06 12:01am
Msg #96209

Scratch out the 3 digit number on the back of your credit ca

Good idea to scratch out the 3 ( 4 for American Express) digit number on the back of your credit card so the numbers are impossible to read.

Of course you have to remember the 3 or 4 numbers and that was a problem I had with one of my cards!

Yeah it was a DUH!!

Reply by Jenny_CA on 2/11/06 1:53am
Msg #96226

"6. When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys (and they all seem to do that now), do not turn the "keys" in. Take them with you and destroy them. Those little cards have on them all of the information you gave the hotel, including address and credit card numbers and expiration dates."

Hmm...I thought I read somewhere that this was a myth? Does anyone know for sure?

Reply by Linda_in_MI on 2/11/06 4:24pm
Msg #96415

Regarding #2 - Write Ask for Photo ID on the back of the card. Considering the lack of checking the signature, I am beginning to wonder if this is worth it. I have had a couple of transactions denied because--one of the few times the back of the card was checked--I had written ASK FOR PHOTO ID on the card. Even after showing my DL, the merchant maintained the card was not valid because the card was not signed. So now I not only have the ASK FOR ID phrase, but also have my signature on the back.

Reply by PAW on 2/11/06 5:23pm
Msg #96420

Sign your cards, but then, using a RED Sharpie, write "Verify with Photo ID" such that part of your signature is hidden by the RED ink. Then they can't argue it wasn't signed. Works for me!