Identity Theft

   

Protecting our identity is one of the most critical things we need to be concerned with in today’s world. It is easy for someone to steal our identity and then for years to come we will be responsible for clearing our names of things we did not actually do.  Identities can be stolen by gaining access to our mail, credit cards, ATM cards, passwords, checkbooks, social security cards, driver’s licenses and so on.

When you are a victim of Identity Theft contact your banks, file police reports, contact the credit bureaus, (see below) your credit card companies, canceling all cards and having new ones reissued. Contact your Post Office to make sure no one has put in an unauthorized change of address. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (see below) and the Trade Commission in your state. Contact the Social Security Department as well when your Social Security Card has been stolen. Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state when your driver’s license is stolen.

Shout it; scream it if you must so everyone you deal with knows without a doubt that your identity has been stolen. DO NOT wait! You will be surprised how many offices are actually open 24/7.

Checkbooks:

When setting up your checking account with a financial institution never have your checks printed with your full name. Use only your first and middle initials and then you last name spelled out. Set up your signature to be your first name, middle initial and last name. Or first initial, middle and last names spelled out, which ever way is your legal signature. This way, if your check book is stolen, but not any form of identification, no one will know what your proper name or signature is nor whether you are male or female. It makes it much more difficult to forge your name.

If by chance your check book is stolen, report it to the police immediately and file a police report. Contact your bank immediately as well. Hopefully you will discover the checkbook has been stolen before anyone has an opportunity to try to access your checking account.

Laws differ from state to state regarding how stolen checks are handled. Your bank and the police department should advise you about what to do. Question whether or not you should close the account or have it flagged and open a new one.

The bank should be able to issue a report on the last checks that have cleared the account that you know you wrote. Comparing the numbers of those checks to the ones you have that were not in the check book (those still in the box) should tell you, the bank and the police which checks are missing. The bank will handle any fraudulent checks that should come in for your account.

When the bank handles it, usually you are protected from future problems. Sometimes the banks and police can give you a difficult time. Part of this may be based on age which does seem unfair. Sometimes it is because they may suspect that you are trying to pull “a fast one” … like maybe the checks weren’t really stolen and you are just trying to get away with something. This isn’t really fair either when you are really a victim. However, this has happened and one reason that banks and authorities are cautious.

This is a possible scenario of what can happen:


You discover your check book is stolen along with your social security card. (NEVER carry your social security card with you!) You report the check book is stolen to the police. You also report it to your bank. Someone at the bank advises you to close the account. If this should happen to you, question them about whether this is the proper procedure. If they get attitude and try to intimidate you, ask to speak to their supervisor. You want to know if this is really what you should be doing. Most of the time it is not.

If you close the account and you have not lost money by someone writing a fraudulent check on your account and it clearing your account then sometimes you are not considered a “real” victim. You have just had your checks stolen.

Those who accept the fraudulent checks are the ones who are the victims because the check will be returned for insufficient funds or as a closed account. They will have lost the amount of money the check was written for plus their bank charges for depositing the check into their account and it being returned. They will have lost any item or merchandise the check was exchanged for. They will also lose any other check charges that may have been caused because they wrote checks based on the deposited check that was bogus. It snow balls. They will be looking to you for their money!

When you have filed a police report and contacted the bank, you are not responsible as long as you follow all the procedures based on the laws of your county or state.

Remember, your name is on the checks and your social security card was in the check book.  You get a phone call from a store that has accepted a check and they want their money plus extra charges for insufficient funds. They don’t want to accept your word that your checks were stolen. (You wonder why they didn’t ask for identification such as a driver’s license when they accepted the check. Believe it or not sometimes they don’t ask! )

In some states, who ever accepts a check that turns out to be worthless must go to the Worthless Check Division at the Sheriff’s department in their county or the District Attorney’s Office and ask for a form letter which must be sent to you with a copy of the check. This must be done before they can file charges against you. This proceeding gives you the opportunity to respond. Usually you have only ten days to respond.

If you actually did write the bad check you need to pay the company or person you gave it to the amount of the check and any extra bank charges they had to pay. If the copy you receive is one of the checks stolen from you, take the copy to your bank. The bank will give you a notarized affidavit stating that it is a stolen check.

Write a letter to the person who sent it to you explaining the check was stolen and attached is the affidavit explaining that and a copy of the police report. You should mail this back certified mail so you get a receipt saying it was delivered or that delivery was attempted. This is your proof and should be kept in a safe place in a file with all the paperwork or documentation you have regarding your checks being stolen. You literally may need this file and documentation for ten years. No kidding!

This happens every time one of your stolen checks surfaces. You can expect to also get threatening phone calls from people who are irate that they accepted a bad check. Even when they didn’t ask to see a driver’s license because a license number was written on the check and a social security number as well. One problem for them is, its your social security number but a bogus drivers license number. They should have asked to see the driver’s license anyway. Social Security numbers are not identification.

If by chance something happens and you do not respond to a letter regarding a returned check, do be advised a warrant CAN be issued for your arrest regardless of whether you have filed a police report or not. NO KIDDING!

This is serious business. You may be required to go to the Sheriff’s Department or the District Attorney’s Office, Worthless Check Division, in a neighboring county.

You may need to and fill out form after form and sign your name dozens of times to prove you did not write bad checks on your account. It will seem this will be a never ending problem. It will be a problem for you until all the missing checks are accounted for.

 This is just one scenario on what can happen when checks are stolen. It IS based on a true story. Remember, laws and proceedings will vary from state to state

When you have had checks stolen don’t forget to write a letter to all three credit   bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Explain what has happened and include a copy of the police report. Ask the credit bureaus to flag your account in case there is a problem in the future. You do not need a bad check report listed on your credit record.  It would be wise to send these letters certified too. Also make copies of all your correspondence in case you need to send a copy of it to someone or even the police wants to see your file.

You can contact the Credit Bureaus to get copies of your credit reports to verify or dispute any activity regarding your credit. They should be contacted immediately when identity theft and credit card fraud and stolen checks are involved.                        

If you are receiving mail where you live, the mail box should be locked. The postman who delivers your mail will have a key to unlock the box and be able to deposit your mail and you have a key to unlock the box and retrieve your mail. The next safest option is having a mail slot in your home so that when mail is delivered it drops directly into your home and there is no outside access to it.

The safest option besides a home mail slot is having a post office mail box to which you have a key.  There is a charge for this and it is based on the size of box you get. A standard letter size box should be sufficient. You can pay for the box six months or twelve months at a time.

Having these options for mail delivery prohibits others from being able to steal your mail which may contain highly personal information, credit card offers or possibly checks. If someone should steal checks they can endorse them and cash them or if the checks are from credit card companies the checks can be forged and max out your limits, leaving you responsible for paying back money you didn’t get in the first place.

Always take your out-going mail to the post office to mail rather than placing it in an unprotected mail box. (One that is not locked.)  Taking the mail into the Post Office and dropping it into one of the mail slots is by far the safest, but there are also drive-through lanes where you can drop the mail into an outside mail box.

However if it is close to the pick-up time for these boxes and the boxes are stuffed with mail, don’t leave the mail there. It is easy for someone to drive through and help themselves to the mail not safely inside the box.

Why the precaution? If checks are written with washable ink on paper that can also be washed then someone can make changes on the check. The amount and the name to which it is written can be changed. Most banks print their checks on paper which can’t be washed. There are gel pens on the market that have ink that cannot be washed. Look for these pens at a department store or office supply store. There is online banking and maybe you don’t write checks but if you do…you need very good security on your computer system.)

Because Identity Theft is so prevalent and because there are people who, for what ever the reason, just like to create problems for others it is always a good idea to put passwords on all your accounts.

Use passwords in order to keep others from making unauthorized changes with your creditors, your utility company, insurance company or anyone you do business with. Without needing to have a password and with enough other information your billing address could be changed, utilities disconnected and insurance canceled etcetera.

Don’t use words directly associated with you, family or friends that someone else might be able to figure out. Not the name of your pet or other names that are commonly associated with you in case someone who is either very close to you or sadly, related, wants to give you a hassle. Use a password that no one would know.

For working with your computer online, your password should include symbols, capital letters, numbers and lower case letters as well. Do not give them out to anyone, not even friends.

To insure the safety of important documents such as social security cards, birth certificates and etcetera you can invest in a small fire safe and keep it in a closet or under your bed. Or check into getting a safety deposit box at your bank for your valuables as well as legal documents.

Invest in a good cross-cut shredder. There are other things you probably need but your identity is who you are and it follows you for the rest of your life and it must be protected.

Don’t allow your name, address, phone numbers, Social Security number, credit card information, bills, receipts or any piece of paper that has any information about you go out into the trash without being shredded.

A cross-cut shredder actually makes every piece of paper put through it into confetti and virtually impossible for anyone to put back together. There are shredders which are straight cut and better than nothing but unfortunately if someone is interested enough and wants to take the time they can put the pieces back together. … Unless you take an extra step in disposing of the shredded material.

A shredder that does a straight cut will turn the papers put through it into “ribbons” of information … so before putting in the trash make sure all the pieces are pulled apart and thoroughly mixed up so that while it could probably be put back together mostly likely it would be much too time consuming.

 

Always keep your Social Security Card in a safe place. This is not your wallet or purse. The safest place would be in a fire safe or safety deposit box with the rest of your important documents like a birth certificate, legal name change papers, marriage certificate and so on.

A Social Security card is not an identification card.  Probably the only times you will need it with you is when you are hired for a job, get a drivers license and apply for social security. You may need it at the bank but still, don’t have it with you at all times. Keep it in a safe place and only take it with you when it has been requested. If you are in a situation such as has been described and you don’t have your card at the moment like when signing in on a new job … take it the next day. In the case of getting a new driver’s license or bank account call ahead and ask if it is required. Most likely it will be needed with you for the driver’s license due to changes since 9/11.

Independence

 

If you are on your own and you want to be independent you will need to learn how figure out stuff on your own. This does not mean you can’t ask parents for advice and help, just don’t expect them to pay all your bills every time you get in a jam.  Being on your own is hard.  However with each day it will seem easier. Learn the lessons from each of your experiences and try not to repeat the same mistakes. You will do just fine. Remember everyone does make mistakes. That is part of the learning process and to be redundant, the key is to learn from your mistakes.

Remember too, to think for yourself. You do not have to agree with all your friends and listen to every thing they say as most of them don’t know any more than you do. Too, this is not to say that you and your friends shouldn’t share information you have learned through each of your experiences. This can be helpful to each of you, but also consider that what worked for you may not work for your friends and vice versa. …  See how complicated life can be!

Insurance

Many insurance companies provide coverage for homes, health care, personal possessions and vehicles. It will be up to you to research the companies, and the coverage and services they provide, in order to learn which will best suit your needs. Usually you will be able to work with one company that can provide most of your insurance needs.

Most states require us all to have auto insurance. The rates will depend on the amount of coverage you have, your age and your driving record.  When you purchase a new or used car and it is financed, the lender will require insurance to protect their investment as well.

If you are renting you can get insurance to provide coverage for personal possessions that can include home furnishings, computers and entertainment equipment.  When buying a home you will need to have Home Owner’s Insurance. You will want insurance that will cover the home for unforeseen emergencies and possible damages from weather as well as injuries that may happen on your property.

In many cases you will be able to get health care insurance through your employer and you will be expected to pay a portion of the premiums.  Otherwise, to have health care insurance you will need to get this on your own.

Integrity

It is important to always be honest, have moral principles, and be sincere although it may be difficult at times. Be honest, sincere and have moral principles for yourself as well as with others.

If you make a commitment to do something for someone follow through and be dependable. Others need to know that you are as good as your word. However don’t commit or agree to do something because you are afraid to say no. Don’t be afraid that someone won’t like you any more or won’t be your friend if you say no. If that is the case, they weren’t your friend to begin with. You should have the same attitude regarding your moral principles. Don’t compromise them because of someone else.

When at a store and you realize you didn’t pay for something … go back and pay for it. If a cashier should give you back too much change, don’t keep it. Give it back. Their job could be on the line if the till comes up short or they may have the shortage taken out of their pay. You wouldn’t want that to happen to you. Besides that little “windfall” is not yours to keep in the first place. Perhaps you are thinking what would it matter and who would know? You would know and that is what is important. What goes around comes around.

Irons and Ironing

Ironing! What a hassle. In today’s world wrinkles and frayed are “in”. However there are occasions that will call for you to look your very best and be wrinkle free! Job Interviews come to mind here.

Invest in a good iron. There are irons available on the market from a low-end price around $7 to higher-end prices around $50. Steam or dry. If you buy a dry iron also get a spray bottle for water as you will need it to help get rid of wrinkles. Follow the instructions regarding cleaning and caring for the iron. This is important because there will be times when you may get brown dribbles on your clothing from a dirty steam iron. Also make sure the plate of the iron is also clean as otherwise it can also get your clothes dirty.