I've had several friends have their identity forged and stolen. One lost = a house (under construction). My advice would be to call your credit card vendors and all 3 credit bureaus EVERY OTHER DAY to make sure they = didn't use your credit cards to open department store accounts and get other = forms of ID. You bank may have further advice. Sorry that happened to you. Thieves suck. ; ) =20 ..:: Randy Melder ::.. 602-279-0135 - www.spininternetmedia.com =20 =20 =20 -----Original Message----- From: plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us [mailto:plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of Ed = Skinner Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 11:12 AM To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us Subject: OT: Gym Locker Theft, Live and Learn I know of at least one other reader of this list that goes to the = same=20 gym (Bally's at Cave Creek and Cactus), hence this posting. Two credit cards were stolen from my wallet in my padlocked locker = at the=20 above gym on Saturday the 16th. The locker was padlocked before and = after the=20 theft and was not detected by me at the time. The theives (I'm assuming there=20 was more than one person -- probably a "lookout" in addition to the = "lock=20 pick" individual) used the two credit cards to chart $269.23 at Sports=20 Authority, $1900.00 (odd) at Best Buy, and another $1600.00 (odd) at = Best Buy=20 (dunno if it was the same store or not), and finally $416.00 at Sapporo=20 Japanese Restaurant in Scottsdale (to celebrate, no doubt). These = charges=20 were all completed that same evening. Sunday morning (the 17th), the fraud department of one of the = credit card=20 companies telephoned us. (This was when we discovered that the cards = were=20 missing.) The fraud department reviewed the recent charges and we = identified which ones were fraudulent. (If I'm not mistaken, because we did not = know the=20 cards had been stolen, we will not be liable for any charges, not even = the=20 token $50 amount. Anyone know how this works?) I then checked my wallet = and=20 determined that another card was missing, called that company and, sure=20 enough, it was also being used fraudulently. (Half of the above charges = were on each of the two cards.) Here's what I'm guessing happened. My wife and I arrived at the gym at about 5:00PM on Saturday = evening.=20 (Married folks "have no life" on Saturday night.) I change clothes and = lock=20 (Masterlock combination lock -- I've since learned this is a really bad=20 choice because they are so common, and pick-able) my wallet and street=20 clothes. I am probably observed by one of the thieves who waits until I leave=20 the locker room. Probably posting a lookout, or just proceeding on guts (as the gym = doesn't have a lot of people in it), the thief picks the lock and = examines my=20 wallet. He leaves the ATM card and, of the stack of three credit cards,=20 leaves the topmost one. He also leaves the small amount of cash I have. = He=20 takes only the two credit cards that are underneath another. Presumably = this strategy is so I won't notice the theft. (And it works as planned.) He=20 relocks my locker and vacates the area. They leave the gym and use the credit=20 cards to buy stuff at stores that don't do a very good signature check.=20 (Someone suggested writing "ASK FOR ID" in the signature area of the = card=20 instead of my signature -- would that help?) Finally, they ended the = evening with lots of celebratory drinks and several rounds of sushi. Googling for "How to pick masterlock combination lock" turns up = lots of=20 hits. Although I was unable to open my own lock using the techniques = listed, I figure it may just be a matter of practice. We're going to change our habits. 1) When going to the gym, take only driver's license, gym membership = card, and=20 car ignition key. All other non-clothing items stay at home. 2) At the gym, keep these three items on my person while working out, in = the shower and the steam room. (I'm thinking some sort of bungie-cord wrist = band and sealable plastic bag for the shower, and that in my pocket while = working out.) 3) Use a better (keyed) lock on the locker, regardless (and carry the = key=20 while working out, etc.). [Brand/model suggestions?] We're *not* locking things in the car because I don't want to tempt = a=20 thief to smash my windows. We'll park in a "highly visible" location = (and not=20 under a shade tree -- bummer!). --=20 Ed Skinner, ed@flat5.net, http://www.flat5.net/ --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss