Attorney's Advice

[ApplePearBerry]

I was given this - hope somebody finds this helpful...it's some attorney's advice (no charge)!

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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

Here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

5. 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.

6. 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:

7. 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.

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):
1-800-269-0271

If you are willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone that you care about.

[traxx]

I've heard that not signing the backs of your credit cards and putting photo ID required is a big time no-no. It's fairly easy to create a photo ID whether it be driver's license or work ID or other. Plus, a credit card isn't valid unless it has a signature and they don't have to take it if it's unsigned. You could sign it and put a note to see ID on the back. However, rarely does a clerk look at the back of the card and it's becoming even more rare that you even have to use a clerk since most times you can run the card yourself.

[jsibelius]

That looks more like a list that's been circulating around the web. And Traxx has it right. Credit cards aren't valid if they aren't signed. That doesn't mean they'll be refused, but they could be. More likely, they could ask you to sign them on the spot - what kind of security is that? You can sign and still write ASK FOR ID. But writing ASK FOR ID doesn't mean merchants will do so. It's against the credit cards' merchant agreement for retailers to ask for ID when you use a credit card, believe it or not.

I wouldn't recommend putting your work address on your checks either, unless you want to risk the wrath of your boss (or you own your own business). Not putting your social security number on your check is smart. Not printing your phone number on your check AT ALL is also smart. Not your work number or your home number. No number at all. Some banks don't get the concept of printing PO Boxes on checks, so good luck with that and stay away from Bank of Mexico (-er America). In my experience, small, local banks are more likely to do a better job of that, although that's not universal in either direction.

I'll second the advice of photocopying the contents of your wallet, including the front and back of not only your driver's license, but also your credit cards. That's where the 800 numbers are that you'll need if you need to cancel them if you wallet is ever stolen. It's good to leave this locked in a safe place where you can get access to it if you're traveling, by the way. And don't carry every credit card you own with you when you travel if you don't absolutely have to. No sense losing all of them, right?

[MikeOKC]

That looks more like a list that's been circulating around the web. And Traxx has it right. Credit cards aren't valid if they aren't signed. That doesn't mean they'll be refused, but they could be. More likely, they could ask you to sign them on the spot - what kind of security is that? You can sign and still write ASK FOR ID. But writing ASK FOR ID doesn't mean merchants will do so. It's against the credit cards' merchant agreement for retailers to ask for ID when you use a credit card, believe it or not.

I wouldn't recommend putting your work address on your checks either, unless you want to risk the wrath of your boss (or you own your own business). Not putting your social security number on your check is smart. Not printing your phone number on your check AT ALL is also smart. Not your work number or your home number. No number at all. Some banks don't get the concept of printing PO Boxes on checks, so good luck with that and stay away from Bank of Mexico (-er America). In my experience, small, local banks are more likely to do a better job of that, although that's not universal in either direction.

I'll second the advice of photocopying the contents of your wallet, including the front and back of not only your driver's license, but also your credit cards. That's where the 800 numbers are that you'll need if you need to cancel them if you wallet is ever stolen. It's good to leave this locked in a safe place where you can get access to it if you're traveling, by the way. And don't carry every credit card you own with you when you travel if you don't absolutely have to. No sense losing all of them, right?

Everything you wrote here is spot-on.

[MadMonk]

Change your driver's license number to something other than your SSN is a good thing to do as well (and don't keep your SS card in your wallet.) If your wallet is stolen, the less they know about you the better