Re: Possible Identity Theft - Please Advise!

"Zoe Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Hello,
>
> My Mother made a copy in a liquor store of a document she needed for
> the unemployment office.  She made the mistake of leaving the original
> in the copier when she left, and the paper has her social security
> number, name, address and everything on it.  She went back to the
> store later and there was no sign of it.  I'm really afraid that
> someone took it and will now use the info to open accounts and ruin
> her credit.  Is there anything she can do BEFORE anything happens,
> like alert the credit agencies, her creditors, or something?
>
> Please advise, I'm worried sick about this.

Considering thousands upon thousands of people have already seen just that
information (employers, hospitals, doctors, dentists, banks, brokerages,
credit agencies, auto financing centers, etc., etc.) I would not worry about
it until you know there is a problem.  Get a copy of your (her) credit
report at least every 6 months, but this should be standard practice for
everyone nowadays.  Well you are at it, write your representatives as
millions of people worry over the same things everyday because of the
extreme ease of obtaining such information that can literally ruin a life.
It needs to stop yesterday.