BARREL—LITE News
Bulletin #6 01-30-2009
IDENTITY THEFT HOW TO HELP PREVENT IT.
I received this in the form of an email from a friend
and wanted to reach as many others as possible.
So I have placed it on my website under new news.
You may copy and send to your other friends.
The more who know of these few steps the better.
ATTORNEY'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE
Read this and make a copy for your files in case
you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should
all take some of his advice!
A corporate attorney sent the following out to
the employees in his company.
1. The next time you order checks have only your
initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them.
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.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead,
put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED".
3. 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.
4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your
home phone. If you have a P.O. Box, use that instead of your
home address. If you do not have a P.O. Box, use your work
address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks.(DUH!)
You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have
it printed, anyone can get it.
5. 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. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry
a photocopy of my passport when 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 I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge
because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week,
the thieve(s) 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
information online, and more But here's some
critical information to limit the damage in case
this happens to you or someone you know:
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 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. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations
immediately 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 knows 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 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 about 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
We pass along jokes on the Internet; we pass along
just about everything. But if you are willing to pass
this information along, it could really help someone
that you care about.
VP. Sales and Marketing
J. Bar Products Int'l., Inc.
1944 Cottonville Dr.
Arkdale, WI.
Our Barrel-Lite™ is used at present by 20 USA State DNR Hunter Safety
Divisions and presented to their Hunter Ed Instructors for a training tool in
their Hunter Safety Classes. We have several Canadian Providences and the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police who uses them in the same method and in their
Firearm Safety instruction course. Plus we have 250 Dealers around the country
who have them in their sport shops. We also have many Hunter Safety Instructors
who purchase them and use them as graduation gifts for their students.
We are always seeking new Dealers, Hunter Safety Instructors and looking for
a few good distributors and sales reps or jobbers who may be interested in
presenting our product to their customers. We offer a very good commission base.
