Re: Possible Identity Theft - Please Advise!

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] says...
>
>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.
>
>Thanks,
>Zoe

Regretfully, there really isn't much you can do at this
point, that I know of.  I don't think there's any way to
put a watch on her SSN or other identity data to detect
if someone uses it illegally.  If the paper didn't have
her bank account or credit card numbers on it, they
should be safe; but she might want to talk to her
bankers just to be on the safe side.  About the only
concrete suggestion I can make is to order copies of her
credit reports every three months or so for a while and
look them over; if someone has stolen her identity,
signs of this will show up on them pretty quick.  And
if it should turn out you DO see signs, then you can
take steps to stop it...

You might check on the Internet and see if there are
any websites with more or better advice.

I would suggest not worrying too much.  Although ID 
theft IS a problem, there are a lot more honest 
people (and incompetant thieves) out there than you 
might think.  Be wary, yes; be terrified, no.  

It will probably be all right.

But check, just to be sure.

FW