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. 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 a! ll 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.
DUH!) 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 thieves or! dered an
expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA cred it card, had a
credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from
MV 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 toll 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 to do 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 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: 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