Suzanne O’Connor’s Bargains LA

Good Advice for Credit Protection

This basic credit protection information came thru my inbox, via a subscriber from an attorney. I thought it was sound advice, so I’m re-publishing it.

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.

But here’s some critical information to limit the damage in case someone does get a hold of your credit cards:

5. 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.  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.

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 1-800-269-0271 (fraud line)

-Stay alert and shop sensibly.
S.