From: Rick and Natalie Janiszewski
Subject: Identity Theft

Mike
will you please forward this to our swim teams group
email???

my credit card # and exp date was stolen after I
registered for the Dewey Beach Triathlon!!!

My VISA card is being used in Asia today....

thought I would pass on some important advice that
help me resolve this BIG problem quickly...I hope!!

1. The next time you order checks, have only your
initials (instead of first name) and last name put on
them. If someone gets your checkbook, he 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. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit
card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number
on the "MEMO" line. Instead, just put only the last
four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest
of the number, and anyone who might handle your check
as it passes through all of 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.
(DUH!) You can always add it if it's necessary. But,
if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

4. Photocopy the contents of your wallet:
Copy 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,
as an attorney, I have first-hand knowledge because my
wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the
thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone
package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit
line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a
PIN number from the 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:

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 that 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. Immediately call the 3 national credit reporting
agencies 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 will know 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 past 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
if 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




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