Keep Your Identity Safe and Your Information Locked-up
Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.
- Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- But here's what is perhaps most important of all: Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number.
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.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):
Also, I encourage the following actions to protect your sensitive information from fraudulent activity.
- Frequently check your bank accounts and credit card statements (even if you don't balance your account) and immediately report suspicious activity.
- Keep your computer secure by using up-to-date firewall and virus protection software and by restricting access appropriately.
- Sign up for automatic updates for any Windows Operating System (OS). If you have an OS earlier than XP, we strongly recommend that you upgrade to at least XP and install all Service Packs.
- Reject any email that asks you to follow a link to a website and input sensitive or personal information.
- Only do business with secure websites – look for the lock icon in the bottom-right of your internet browser or look for the prefix "https://..." where the "s" indicates a secure site.
- Strengthen your password – include numbers, symbols and upper and lower case letters. Using a unique password for each service also helps protect your accounts.
- For more information please see www.onguardonline.gov.
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