- SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK HOW TO
- SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK LICENSE NUMBER
- SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK PROFESSIONAL
SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK HOW TO
His latest book, "Scam Me If You Can," offers simple strategies on how to stop scammers in their tracks. Trusted by the FBI for more than four decades, Frank also lectures at the FBI's Academy and field offices.
SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK PROFESSIONAL
You just have to act fast: Time really is money here - and it's your money.įrank Abagnale is a former professional impostor and author of the best-selling memoir, "Catch Me If You Can." He is one of the world's most respected authorities on the subjects of fraud, forgery and cyber security. The good news is that you won't have to spend as much time taking care of things. Of course, even if your wallet does get stolen and you have only the items above in it, you'll still have to act promptly and notify the institutions and agencies affected by your loss.
Here's my recommendation for what to keep in your wallet: Don't carry with you what you don't need. Your wallet should not contain your life. Even items considered detritus by most people have scraps of usable information, such as the last four digits of your credit card, which can be used to help reconstruct entire account numbers.
These contain exactly the same information as your checks and are a key that unlocks your bankbook.ĥ. Your signature is on the check, too.Īnyone from the clerk to other workers and even couriers can see the face of the check and potentially gain access to your bank account.Ĥ. Bank deposit slips.
SOMEONE STOLE MY CHECKBOOK LICENSE NUMBER
You may also be asked to write your driver's license number on the check, along with your date of birth. Your check contains all kinds of information (e.g., account and routing numbers, your name and address) that can be used to steal your money. But if you write a check to a specific store, you know that more than one person will see it before it gets deposited. For example, it's usually safe to write a check to your insurance company. Second, I only write checks that go directly to the addressee. This helps prevent criminal check washing and other document alterations. Look for pens with specially formulated ink that becomes trapped in paper. If I absolutely need to use one, I use an inexpensive gel pen, because that ink can't be washed off. Check fraud is just too easy to pull off, which is why I rarely even use them. ģ. Checks. If you know you have to write a check, take one - and only one - with you. Social Security card. When was the last time you needed to pull out your Social Security card? A fraudster can easily use that number to open a new credit card. Meanwhile, my money is earning interest in a bank account.Īnother downside of keeping too many credit cards in your wallet is that you may be tempted to use them and not pay them off, which can ruin your credit score and lead to a ton of debt.Ģ. With credit cards, federal law limits my liability if there's an unauthorized purchase.Īlso, I'm spending the credit card company's money every day until I pay my bill at the end of the month. Instead, I keep two credit cards in my wallet: One for personal purchases and one for business purchases. Every time you use a debit card, you put your money and your bank account at risk. In fact, I don't own one - I never have, never will and never recommend them to anyone. I don't even recommend using debit cards at all. The fewer debit and credit cards you carry with you, the fewer you'll have to freeze or cancel should your wallet disappear. The first step is to avoid carrying these things in your wallet:ġ. The theft of a wallet is unnerving, to say the least, and it's a huge burden for many: Victims must notify the police, banks, credit card companies, DMV, health insurance carrier, Social Security Administration and so on.īut there are measures you can take to limit those hassles.