Making it harder to steal your stuff
Submitted by Merlin on June 30, 2005 - 4:55am.
Business of Life™: Free advice from a lawyer
Terrific collection of very clever tips for avoiding identity thefts and general larceny. My favorites (quoting):
- When next you order checks, have only the initials of your first name printed. 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
- 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.
- 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. While you’re at it, make a photocopy of your passport.
Remember the “sick box” and the “blackout box?” Might be smart to also put together a “lost wallet box.”
[Link: Lifehacker]
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Regarding the initials on your...
Regarding the initials on your check:
Sure it’s a good idea. However I had my checks stolen (they had my name on them) and the signature CLEARLY did not match mine when the thiefs wrote one for several hundred dollars. I don’t trust ANY bank to look at my signature (or any store to look at my credit card signature/receipt) but I suppose every bit helps.
When I called the bank it went like this:
Me: “Yes, check #505 was stolen.”
Them: “You wrote it and it was cashed for $840”
Me: “Can I get a copy of the check? I know I didn’t sign it. Check the signature.”
Them: “Yep. That’s not your signature all right. I wonder how that got through?”