Get Your ID's In Order After The Wedding!

OK, girls, after you get married, you need to
make sure your ID's are updated. Even if you
don't change your name, even if your address remains
the same, update your accounts and his accounts.
Change your name on your drivers license and social security
card, credit and debit cards, bank accounts and mortgage.
If your name stays the same, still make sure your name
is on joint accounts so you can have access to those accounts,
like making payments or questioning the bill.

Why? Some new FTC red flag ruling will red flag
you on banking, credit cards and even your wireless
service. The new rule is supposed to help curb identity theft.
It bit me in the rear and its not even supposed to be in place
until November.

My cell phone battery died. I'm eligible for a phone upgrade,
so I went to the AT&T store where I had the account for
years. Did I get a battery? Did I get a phone?
NOOOOOOOO. My name wasn't on MY account.
Some braniac took my name off when my husband changed
servers and added his line to my account. When the computer
couldn't find my name on the account, they wouldn't help me.
Naturally, my husband was at work and I couldn't reach him
while I was in the store to give his "permission" for me
to make the transaction. Since when does anyone need
permission from their husband to buy a cell phone
battery? Its not 1900!

The store manager, whom I will refer to as A**hole,
said that when I walked into the store, I was attempting
to commit fraud. I had picture ID's, checking account,
credit cards and the phone. A**hole said we might be
divorced. What man in his right mind who is divorced is
going to give his ex-wife his credit cards, joint checking
account, insurance cards and debit card to carry around?
My husband had to make a round trip of an hour and a half
to get it straightened out in person. And A**hole still
insisted it was fraud on my part. Duh, if I'm going to
commit fraud, you think I'm going to do it in person where
I can be identified? Do I look that dumb? I'm an adult
with a brain and larceny wasn't on my mind.
You can bet that the president of AT&T got an email
from me!

Last week I attempted to pay my father's gas bill
because he is in the hospital. I couldn't make the payment
because of "privacy issues". I wasn't on his account. Why
would I be? Its his house, I managed to pay other bills,
but this one slipped through the cracks and I wanted to
make sure it was paid. They wanted power of attorney
papers, yada yada because of this new ruling. Just take
the damn payment and be happy someone is paying it.


Geeze, two places refusing money because of this rule
to protect ID theft. Where were they when some idiot
hacked into my computer and stole my personal information?
No one protected me, it was a PIA. The new rule is also
a PIA. We need laws to protect ID theft, but these
companies need to clarify the rules to their employees
a lot better than they are doing.

So, ladies, heed the warning. If you want to be a partner
in the marriage, then you have to be listed as a partner
on the bills. Sucks, doesn't it?