Lost your wallet?  Here's what you need to do RIGHT NOW:

From: "TIM PFOHL" <TPFOHL@dhcd.state.va.us>
To: <%20JohnRButcher@attbi.com%20>
Subject: cheap advice if your wallet/purse is stolen
Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 3:16 PM

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed using your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week they'd 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 DMV to change my driving record info online, and more. But here's some critical info 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 who to call. Keep those where you can find them easily (having to hunt for them is additional stress you WON'T need at that point!).

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 I learned that is perhaps most important:

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 info 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 1-800525-6285

Experian (formerly TRW) 1-800-301-7195

Trans Union 1-800-680-7289

Social Security Administration also has a fraud line at 1-800-269-0271

You 'll get a free credit report from a couple of the companies if you place an alert. I'd also suggest you contact every enforcement bureau possible, because it turns out FBI, Secret Service (because it's a Treasury Dept. entity) and postal inspectors all will investigate if it involves their domain. In my case, the DMV investigator has been most aggressive one about pushing the search for these guys, because they used DMV's website to commit fraud.

I hope you never have to use this info, but better to be prepared in case it happens, because it happens to someone everyday!

Tim 

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Last updated 02/24/02
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