How to Protect Yourself if your Wallet is Stolen and Other Security Measures

I recieved an email from a friend with advice from an anonymous attorney about how to protect oneself from the worst aspects of losing one's wallet, along with other good ideas for identity security. The advice was so good, I felt that it would make a very good tutorial. Read this carefully; it's well worth protecting your identity and not really very hard to do.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Photocopier
• Telephone
• Foresight
• The Wallet and its contents

1. DO NOT SIGN THE BACKS OF YOUR CREDIT CARDS! Instead, in that space, write,"Photo ID Required." That way, anyone without authorized access to your accounts can't use the cards in person, or learn to sign your name in your handwriting.
2. When writing checks to pay your credit card accounts, don't put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company can identify your account easily, and no one handling your check at the company will have access to the whole number. Most people are honest, but it just takes one crook to mess things up for you.
3. If possible, put your work phone number instead of your home phone number on your checks. Also, if you have a post office box, use that instead of your address. If you don't have a P.O. box, use your work address.
4. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER PUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ON YOUR CHECKS! Anyone with access to your SSN can steal your identity. And NEVER give out your entire social security number over the phone. Anyone who asks for it either means you harm or is so clueless as not to deserve your compliance.
5. Before you need to, take everything out of your wallet. Photocopy all the cards and ID, etc. that you have in there. Your license, if your state doesn't forbid it, your credit cards, your ATM card--anything you might need to identify later, if the wallet is missing. Be sure to photocopy both sides, and make sure the copies are legible. This could make an enormous difference in your life later on. Usually the phone number to call if your card is stolen or lost is right on the back of the card. Keep all the copies in a safe place.
6. Make a file with all the phone numbers, account numbers, etc. for each credit card. Keep this in a safe place as well. If your wallet is stolen, or you lose a credit card, you MUST call the company right away and cancel the card(s).
7. If you have a passport, make copies of it, too. Leave one at home, and keep one with you when you travel. It could be a real lifesaver if you're far from home and your passport disappears.
8. File a police report immediately, in the jurisdiction where your wallet or cards were stolen. For instance, if you were in Kalamazoo when the wallet turned up missing, don't go to Pasadena to report it to the police. Filing a police report proves to your credit card companies that you were diligent, and it's the first step in an investigation. Some companies require it before they will begin the process.
9. Call all three credit reporting organizations at the same time you call the credit card companies and place a fraud alert on your name. Also, call the Social Security fraud line number. This will tell any company that checks your credit that your information was stolen, and nobody can use your name to get a new credit card account without the company calling you on the phone. See below for the phone numbers of the credit reporting organizations and the fraud line for Social Security.

Tips & Warnings

• EQUIFAX: [phone]
• EXPERIAN:(formerly TRW) [phone]
• TRANS UNION: [phone]
• SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD LINE:[phone]
• Don't put off photocopying your cards. It's so easy to procrastinate from a place of security. You'll kick yourself if you do.
• Make sure your photocopies are in a very safe place where a thief in your house or apartment won't think to look. I don't want to give any hints about this, but most thieves are in a hurry and don't want to stop and read your paperwork, so just making it hard to get at would probably safeguard it sufficiently.