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: Ellen Keralla Denver Colorado

Honeymoon Travel - Some great safety advice
3/3/20067:29:31 PM Link |  | Add comment
Travel Tips
Please read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer

to it someday. 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 won't 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. You can add it if it is necessary. But 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. 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.

  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:

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

  But the key is having the tol! l 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).



But here's what is perhaps most important of all:

(I never even thought todo this.)



3. Call the 3 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 t! he 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,

  etc., 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

         We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about

  everything. But if you are willing to pass this information along, it

  could really help someone that you care about.

Ellen Keralla, Centennial, CO 80112            720-200-0243    1-800-691-0243

Ellen@specialoccasiontravel.com           www.specialoccasiontravel.com

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