I received this as an email and thought it was such good advice it bears a permanent post and hopefully gets read before it happens to anyone else. Let me know what you think. Has this ever happened to you?

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE - NO  CHARGE

Read this and make  a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday.   Maybe we should all take some of his advice!  A corporate Attorney sent the following out to the employees in his  company.

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. (DUH!)  You  can add it if it is necessary.  But if you have It printed,  anyone can get  it.

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.  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:

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: (I never even thought  to do  this.)

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.  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,  etc., has been  stolen:

1.)  Equifax:  800-525-6285
2.)  Experian (formerly TRW):  888-397-3742
3.)  Trans Union :  800-6807289
4.)  Social Security Administration (fraud  line):800-269-0271

We  pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along just about  everything.
If you are  willing to pass this information along, it could really help someone  that you care  about