03-26-2006, 06:27 PM
I don't take ID theft lightly and shred all but junk mail with a cross-cut shredder but I think there is a point where you can get too paranoid and do things that really have no impact...
So here is another attys opinion (though it's really just common sense)
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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.
If you take your checkbook around with you then you don't really care about ID theft anyway. The real threat of losing your checkbook is that a thief can forge checks and it will be hell trying to get the bank to give you any lost money back. On the other hand charges from stolen credit and debit cards are covered. There simply is no good reason to take a checkbook around anymore.
>
> 2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards.
> Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED."
Nice in theory but most merchants don't look at the back of the card anymore. Target and CVS don't even look at your card at all. Walmart doesn't either but requires your zip code.
>
> 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.
An account alone isn't going to get a thief very far. They need the CID and exp date at a minimum. Think about it...your CC company sends you a bill with the full acct number on it. They are the one's ultimately responsible for fraud charges.
>
> 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.
Not the best idea since larger business record incoming conversations. Do you really want your boss hearing a call between you and your CC company? I think this suggestion is just a little too paranoid. Your name, address, and phone number are in the phone book and if you own a home in the data base of the tax assessor, which is not only public, it's online in many jurisdictions.
>
> 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. Keep the
> photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy
> of your passport when traveling either here or
> abroad. We have all heard horror stories about
> fraud that is committed on us in stealing a name,
> address, Social Security number, credit cards.
If you save your CC statements the acct number and contact info is already there. The DVM has a copy of your license. The smarter thing to do is make sure you keep a copy of your birth certificate in a safe deposit box at the bank. Keep your passport in the safe deposit box too (so it won't get stolen when no in use). When you go abroad keep a copy of your passport with a friend or relative and keep another copy with you in a place separate from where you keep the real passport.
>
> 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. Someone with a card reader, or employee of
> the hotel, can access all that information with no
> problem whatsoever.
That is a totally myth. The only info on the card is a code to unlock the room. Your personal info is kept on a separate database. Hotels are not looking to be sued for negligence like that. Talk about your class action suit money makers.
The best thing you can do to prevent ID theft is to watch what you are doing, shred bills, etc that you don't keep, and monitor your credit report. Also make sure if you buy anything online that the address says "https..." and the lock on your broswer is present. On the phone don't give out personal info on a wireless (800, 900Mhz or 2.5, 5Ghz phone unless the phone has digital encryption. A lot of wireless phones are analog which essentially turn your phone into a radio.
>
> Unfortunately, as an attorney, I 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 and received a PIN number from
> DMV to change my driving record information
> online. Here is some critical information to limit
> the damage in case this happens to you or someone
> you know:
>
> 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). However,
> here is what is perhaps most important of all (I
> never even thought to do this.)
>
> 3. 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 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
>
>
>
So here is another attys opinion (though it's really just common sense)
-------------------------------------------------------
> 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.
If you take your checkbook around with you then you don't really care about ID theft anyway. The real threat of losing your checkbook is that a thief can forge checks and it will be hell trying to get the bank to give you any lost money back. On the other hand charges from stolen credit and debit cards are covered. There simply is no good reason to take a checkbook around anymore.
>
> 2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards.
> Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED."
Nice in theory but most merchants don't look at the back of the card anymore. Target and CVS don't even look at your card at all. Walmart doesn't either but requires your zip code.
>
> 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.
An account alone isn't going to get a thief very far. They need the CID and exp date at a minimum. Think about it...your CC company sends you a bill with the full acct number on it. They are the one's ultimately responsible for fraud charges.
>
> 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.
Not the best idea since larger business record incoming conversations. Do you really want your boss hearing a call between you and your CC company? I think this suggestion is just a little too paranoid. Your name, address, and phone number are in the phone book and if you own a home in the data base of the tax assessor, which is not only public, it's online in many jurisdictions.
>
> 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. Keep the
> photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy
> of your passport when traveling either here or
> abroad. We have all heard horror stories about
> fraud that is committed on us in stealing a name,
> address, Social Security number, credit cards.
If you save your CC statements the acct number and contact info is already there. The DVM has a copy of your license. The smarter thing to do is make sure you keep a copy of your birth certificate in a safe deposit box at the bank. Keep your passport in the safe deposit box too (so it won't get stolen when no in use). When you go abroad keep a copy of your passport with a friend or relative and keep another copy with you in a place separate from where you keep the real passport.
>
> 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. Someone with a card reader, or employee of
> the hotel, can access all that information with no
> problem whatsoever.
That is a totally myth. The only info on the card is a code to unlock the room. Your personal info is kept on a separate database. Hotels are not looking to be sued for negligence like that. Talk about your class action suit money makers.
The best thing you can do to prevent ID theft is to watch what you are doing, shred bills, etc that you don't keep, and monitor your credit report. Also make sure if you buy anything online that the address says "https..." and the lock on your broswer is present. On the phone don't give out personal info on a wireless (800, 900Mhz or 2.5, 5Ghz phone unless the phone has digital encryption. A lot of wireless phones are analog which essentially turn your phone into a radio.
>
> Unfortunately, as an attorney, I 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 and received a PIN number from
> DMV to change my driving record information
> online. Here is some critical information to limit
> the damage in case this happens to you or someone
> you know:
>
> 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). However,
> here is what is perhaps most important of all (I
> never even thought to do this.)
>
> 3. 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 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
>
>
>