Other Safety Concerns

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After I read EMERGENCY I decided to be more proactive and have been trying to find areas where my security is still at risk. While I will always focus training with my gun, knives and hand to hand stuff, I have started to think about others areas of safety that I could be addressing. Here are a few things I have been doing.

One thing I have always been pretty vigilant about protecting, but haven’t seen discussed or read much about is credit card safety.

We do not use CC’s all that much except when we travel and for things like airlines & hotel reservations. If I am making a purchase online, I use a credit card that has a very low limit.  Each time the company tries to increase the limit, I tell them no. That way if someone were to steal the number, the amount charged can not be very large.

I think a good reputation and credit rating are always a good idea, but in terms of dealing with bad things that pop up, it’s crucial. I have had our CC company call us before and alert me to suspicious activity. The one time someone did make charges my company removed them immediately, but I know 2 people that had the same kind of thing happen, but for them it was a nightmare to get the company to remove those charges because the people didn’t always paying their debt on time. The company was suspicious the people were trying to scam and get out of paying the charges.

I think it is important to have photo copies of all my documents like my CCP, DL and CC. If my purse were to get stolen, I want to have all the numbers easily available to me.

Speaking of purses…I carry a smaller wallet with my money, ID and CC that is separate from my purse that way if someone is able to snatch my purse all they will get is some chap stick, gum, a couple pens and my small first aid kit. Like my gun, knife, flashlight, the small wallet is on my body somewhere.

I only have 2 CC’s for a variety of reasons, but one is safety. The more cards and numbers I have floating around the more likely someone is going to be able to get a hold of one of them and have a grand time courtesy of me.

It isn’t just money they can steal either. Once they have your name and CC it will be easier for them to gain access to other parts of your personal life. I know 3 people who have been cyber stocked and it was a insane what they had to do do get it stopped. All the areas of our lives that can be accessed through computers seems limitless, especially when trying to stop a bad guy.

This doesn’t have to do with credit cards, but it’s related. My husband and I do not write many checks anymore, but occasionally for whatever reason we do. Well, I do. He doesn’t, ever. One time he decided to write a check for a rather large amount, but when he went to do so it was declined. After several attempts he called me to make sure I hadn’t taken all the money and skipped to Aruba. He was trying to buy me a gift and didn’t want to take the cash out or use a CC where I would immediately see it pop up on the account. The problem was in 20 years he hadn’t written a check. Not a single one for anything, so our bank saw that as highly suspicious. The kid behind the counter didn’t know the reason why, just that he could not accept the check. Now, just in case, we have my husband write checks a couple times a year. That is a safety issue because it is one more way to have access to your own money. I don’t like anyone telling me no especially when it is mine to begin with. Having all the avenues available to you or me is a good idea.

Both my husband and I have it written on our Credit Reports that no one may open a new account in our name unless our identity has been verified with a photo ID. That is because 10 years ago while we were stationed in Virginia, someone in California had got a phone in our name. When we returned to California and tried to get our phone hooked up, we were informed that we needed to pay our $2000 phone bill first. Again, it was easy for us to prove we did not live in the state at the time and we never had to pay the bill, but that one was a pain to get sorted out. The statement on the report makes it just that much more difficult for someone to steal our identity.

Lastly, be careful with your cell phones. Four or five months ago I read an excellent article on cell phone safety. I thought I bookmarked it, but I can’t find it anywhere. Anyway, the author of the article was discussing how very common it is for people to switch out the SIM card on a phone and then use your cell phone to stalk you. They have access to your conversations, text messages, your where about…scary stuff. He had several suggestions, but 2 stood out…

1. Check for your SIM card and change it often.

2. NEVER, ever leave your phone unattended. Never. Do not put it on the table at a bar, restaurant, sporting event etc. Keep it on your person all the time. He says this is vital for people who are dating. No matter how comfortable you feel with the person he suggest never letting them get a hold of your phone.

I thought this might be a little bit on the paranoid side until I realized how common it is for people to do this and the numbers are rising. It is a fairly cheap, easy way to terrorize a person.

I know for a lot of people I seem a little over the top with this constant focus on personal safety, but for me it has helped me be more safe and aware, so whatever it takes it’s been worth it. Plus most of things are easy to do. Nothing I listed here takes much time, energy or money. I don’t know if the odds are very high that someone will replace my SIM card, but why take the chance?

 

 

 

21 thoughts on “Other Safety Concerns”

  1. Good stuff, thanks. BTW, never sign a credit card. Always print, “Ask for ID” instead.

  3. Good stuff here! Couple other thoughts we have started to do.

    We stop carrying CC except on trips or with the intent to go and purchase a specific item – otherwise we use our debit card. Our bank limits our withdrawal to $200 per day and that is plenty for 90% of what we use a card for.

    And, with the exception of one ridiculous card my wife has for an old business she once had, we set our credit limit to $2,500 – again – more than enough for 95% of our business.

    For that final 5% that we really need a temporary, high limit, we use the “ridiculous card” or just do a short-term note at the bank.

    But the ways folks can easily and quickly get your card info?? Made us just want to leave the darn things home.

    • That is a vey good idea too. I guess I like to have one for something crazy like emergency car repair. We have been on vacation and had that happen, but your right for hangin around town, not needed.

  4. PLUS, when you are filing out the paperwork at the doctor’s, there is NO reason they need your social security number!!

    If you have a minute, would you please visit my blog to check out my form on drawing and firing??? I ordered a Remora holster with a higher profile on the side of my body to prevent hammer gouge, and I also ordered an (inside the belt) holster by “MIKE” that is made of reinforced chamois.

  5. Great article AGirl!
    Always stay safe in every environment.
    Check out ITS Tactical, they have more tips like these. Tons of good advice, lots of videos to accompany the articles and they even make some good products themselves.
    They have a Tactical Muster coming up that looks awesome for those in Texas.

  6. Well, I do not own or use credit cards. About what Bill Keller wrote in regard to his bank limiting withdrawal to 200 bucks a day…..No way in hell would I use a bank like that. I pay cash for 99% of the things I buy. If I want to get something on the net I get a phone number and call the seller, then send a money order. If they don’t want that and insist on a cc then I just don’t buy from them. I do have a checking acc’t. but use it only for the phone company and paying my rent. When I get my retirement money deposited in the bank I go down and pull it out….I leave about 4 bucks in the acct over what I will write the above checks for. If someone were to try to rob me they must have a death wish or something. Where I live open carry as well as concealed carry is legal. I don’t travel much seeing that today for some reason motels will not take cash.

  7. Guns, Cars and Tech did a bit a while back that I thought was a good idea. Electronic copies of your pertinent records, stored on an encrypted flash drive, on your person. They wont satisfy all legal rewuirements, but they are a good place to start, and could come in handy in case of an emergency, loss, or catastrophy (fire, flood, etc). Whole kit is down to less than $10 these days. I’ll try to dig up the link.

  8. Unless your description is missing something, I have to think the SIM card bit is an urban legend. Your SIM card may or may not store your contacts and text messages on it (though I think most just store contacts), but it’s also what the cell towers verify against. If someone were to swap out your SIM card for one they could track, all of your contacts would be gone, your phone number would be different, your voicemail wouldn’t work, and so on. I suppose it would be possible to go a few days without noticing this, but it seems rather unlikely.

    • I think they swap out the card and they keep the one that was in there…with the contacts etc and the new card or Bluetooth like chip they now have access too all the new info to include where you are. I wish I could find the article.

  9. Another point to consider, I read an article somewhere years ago (whilst still single, and hating credit cards, only using debit cards for Amazon purchases and checks for everything else around town) talking about security and credit cards. There was a still from a security camera at a coffee shop or dry cleaners or something, a lady was waiting her turn, pulling out her card, and the guy behind her is doing something on his phone. Nothing unusual, until you scrolled down a bit and saw that the guy was videoing over the lady’s shoulder. So very easy to nab a screenshot later and get her DL number, credit card number, anything else that was open to sunlight. The article recommended putting your card in your pocket before going into the store, which makes sense but seems kinda extreme to me. I just keep a meaty thumb over the numbers….they may get one or two sets, but they’re not gettin the whole thing. Also…priority….SITUATIONAL AWARENESS!!! Someone holding a phone up high enough to see over you shoulder obviously isn’t playing AngryBirds.

  10. Look into “Virtual Account Numbers” for your CC. Citibank does this — whenever I make an online purchase I create a VAN which is a new CC number which is valid for one month and only accepted at the first merchant who uses it. If that merchant’s system is breached, that VAN can’t be used at other merchants. Citibank allows me to extend the validation date up to 12 months and allows me to put a limit on each VAN. Very nice.

    Discover Card offers something similar, but there are no limits and it expires when your regular DC expires. The Citi VAN is nice because I can try out a subscription service and not worry about automatic renewals biting me later.

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