While this isn't absolutely shop/tool/project related... if it happens to
you.. it could seriously hinder all of the above.. Most things in my shop
were purchased with what was in my wallet.. so it is pseudo-related. take
heed... a nearly identical scenario happened to my wife and I .... and the
thief only had her SS# !!!
FYI To protect yourself in case your wallet ever gets stolen. 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. A corporate attorney sent this out to the
employees in his company. We've all heard horror stories about the fraud
that can be committed using your name,address, SS#, credit, etc.
Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happen to be an attorney)
have first hand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and
within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cellphone 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. As everyone always advises, cancel your
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 easily.File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where
it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a
first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). But here's what
is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) Call the three
national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert
on your name and SS#. 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 2 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 in their tracks.
The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line):
1-800-269-0271
We pass along jokes; we pass along just about everything. Do think about
passing this information along. It could really help someone.
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