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HOW TO AVOID MAKING YOURSELF A TARGET FOR CAR BURGLARS: SECRETS THE BAD GUYS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW
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We unwittingly make ourselves even bigger targets than necessary. We already understand that the type of car we drive will attract theft or vandalism, but few of us realize that other, subtle signals will attract the bad guys to your vehicle, and potentially launch a domino-effect of consumer hell given the chance. Here's some sound advice that will hopefully keep you/your friends/your family out of the "statistics" category forever!
Don't Make You/Your Car A Target!
1) The type of car you drive already speaks volumes about your wealth
2) Stickers tell an even bigger story: Alumni to private school to community organizations (like the DSO: Dallas Symphony Orchestra); so do parking stickers (office parking or apartment/condo parking permits) and tolltags tell the bad guys quite a bit about who you are/where you live/work.
3) Radar detector "anchors" give the bad guys a reason to stop and examine your car
4) So does window tinting...even the way you park (for those drivers that like to "back-in")
5) Careful what you leave on your seats in plain view: Documents can tell an even bigger story; so can receipts [with account numbers], e-mails, etc.
6) A DC power cord for radar detectors or cell phones left in plain view is another big invitation to break some glass
7) CDs laying on the seat–or even worse–a CD wallet is another potential enticement
8) Even more obviously, a purse or wallet, so something that even looks like a purse or wallet can be the official invitation to call your glass replacement specialist the next morning
9) Do NOT "hide" your wallet or purse inside your car. At the very least, put it in your trunk prior to parking
10) Best advice? Take only a credit card or two that you'll use, and checks and some cash. NEVER take your wallet with every credit card ever issued!!!
Oops! Too Late!! My Wallet's Been Stolen!!!
Now What Do I Do???
So you've had your pocket picked. Your purse stolen. Mugged on the mean streets of America. Please tell me you have a complete–and updated–list of all of your credit cards stored somewhere in a safe place!!! Okay...no more lectures. Let's get to work and launch damage control.
1) Contact all of your credit card companies and tell them what's happened. The 800-numbers on the back of the cards are the best to call. If you don't have a list, go through all of your bills and get toll-free contact numbers from those. (Don't forget to call any companies that you have zero balances on cards with!)
2) Contact ALL THREE of the major credit reporting bureaus. All of their contact information is on this website: www.bendover.com/creditreporthelp.ASP or call 800 Directory Assistance (800 555-1212) and get the numbers for Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Tell them that your wallet's been stolen and that your identity could be compromised/stolen.
3) Contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline Number: (800) 269-0271 to report that your Social Security Number could have been stolen and may be misused. For more information, check out their website: www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm Be sure to request they put an "alert" on your Social Security Number that will give a heads-up to any prospective credit grantors to be aware that your identity has been compromised.
4) If you're carrying debit cards, CONTACT YOUR BANK AT ONCE!!! There's no uniform policy on debit card liability (unlike the $50 limit on credit/charge cards), and if it's not caught early, there's a chance you could have your bank accounts cleaned out!
5) Contact your bank(s) and report your checkbook/account number(s) stolen. Make sure they close your accounts at once and put an alert into their system to flag any potential check re-orders on your old account number.
6) Contact the police! In the spirit of papering your trail, file a police report and keep a copy of the report as well as the case number handy for future reference. (You may need this information if you have to file any fraud affidavits in the future.)
Avoid The Heartache In The First Place!
Here's some tips you need to put into play today to avoid this level of brain-damage in the future:
 1) NEVER carry your Social Security Card in your wallet or purse.
2) NEVER have the number written down and "hidden" in a secret compartment, since there's no such thing as a secret compartment.
3) NEVER have your Social Security Number, Driver's License Number or even your phone numbers printed on your personal checks. If anyone ever needs this information (they'd better have a good reason for needing it, by the way) they can always write it on the check manually.
4) NEVER use your Social Security Number as a password or account number.)
5) NEVER carry the updated list of credit cards in your wallet, brief case or purse. Have a copy tucked away in a safe place at home or at your office, accessible instantly in the event you've been stung.
6) NEVER attempt to hide your purse or wallet in your car once you've arrived to your destination. Always assume that your movements are being watched by the bad guys, who do this for a living.
7) NEVER carry all of your credit cards! Carry only those cards you'll actually need to access...perhaps one or two major charge cards, and one or two gas cards. Take your Foley's or Neiman's card with you the day you plan to use it, but don't carry it around all the time. (Besides, this may help you curb spontaneous spending!)
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