The phone one seems highly unlikely, since ATMs generally have a $300 per day withdrawal limit. A withdrawal in person would require a picture ID and signature.

Thanks for the info poohbear. I don't know what the limit is on our ATM withdrawal. Years ago it was $300, but I know for a fact that $600 could be withdrawn from the machine two years ago.

Linda

My car has a navigation system and instead of entering my home address into the system I just entered an address a few streets away. Obviously once I'm near my town I know how to get home again and don't need a GPS to find my house. But it was helpful when my kids were first driving on their own. If they were lost or detoured or in an unfamiliar area they could just hit the 'home' symbol and the GPS would direct them to that address a few streets away.

When I leave my car with a parking attendant I only leave the valet key and remove the car insurance card from my glove box.

Good advice to think about, Pooh. I refuse to text at all. I have the feature blocked on our phones, and on my mom's. I even don't read the ones from the company that are supposed to be free notices. So for three of us, that won't be a problem. We do, however, have home & mom/dad listed. Might change that. DH got me a GPS for Christmas, as my navigation skills are terrible. This way I don't have to try to figure out a map in a hurry on a trip for him. When we entered "home" into the system, we picked a business near by. As said above, I know my way home from there! I never thought about taking my insurance card out when I leave the car with someone. I do only leave the one key they need for it. My keys once dissapeared for hours when it was left at a dealership for repairs. No one would admit to having them. They turned up after we picked up the car, just hanging on the board. We told them they would be responsible if anyone "let them selves in" and stole anything from our house. Almost made them pay to have the locks changed!

Tami

I usually take my GPS off, and put it in my purse. But I have been known to leave the contraption on the window, that holds it. That came off just now. I do have home in my cell, and DH's cell. So far, home has helped get his phone back, when he left it someplace.

but then of course, we do NOT text at all.

Thanks to the tips.

Moni

Thanks, Pooh. Good to know.

sooey

It never ceases to amaze me when people leave GPSs, purses, cell phones, computers and any other valuables in plain sight, then act surprised when someone breaks in and steals it! I just don't have sympathy for that anymore.

However there's other things that people that are intelligent often don't consider. Just taking the GPS off and leaving the bracket tells the thief you have one so it could be under the seat, in the glovebox, or in the trunk. So might as well break in and play the odds. It doesn't take long and could be other gain. Other telltale signs? How about that big ring on the windshield from the suction cup when people did at least remove the bracket. And don't forget the chargers left plugged in or out in plain sight. Antenna on the roof or trunk?

Getting a text for a PIN number and sending it? Yeah right. There's another stupidity penalty if it's true, but I don't believe it. And anyone that truly would send sensitive info via text would deserve what they get. It's a "stoopid penalty" and if they don't wise up they can keep paying it and give us something to laugh at.

I never give my entire keyring when at a service shop or something and if I'm leaving the vehicle the garage door opener is taken with me too. Got in the habit to use it to get back in. I don't use valet parking so that's not an issue either. Again, common sense is rare.

These email stories that always end in SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!! really irritate me. Often people are at home while some are at the game. There's too many holes in this story to believe it. Spammers enjoy this stuff. They take theory and conjecture, add a lot of BS and people just must believe it because it came in an email. I don't believe things unless there's some links to check out in it. "a friend told me" it happened to someone they know doesn't cut it with me. Just like the $250 cookie recipe, the Bill Gates will pay you to email and all the other hoaxes. There is some value to a couple of the points but please don't just pass things on because it says to. I don't care if an email comes from "god@god.god" and has a burning bush graphic, I'll question it and look for substantiation. Seems to me a diety would use something other than email to warn me about armageddon anyway.

These hoaxes (or is it hoaxi?) do have some value for discussion and getting people to think and share ideas. The insurance card is a good point. But don't overlook the owner's papers that might be in the glovebox or service records too. Do you have a registration card, cab card or license plate receipt in there? How about some bills, mail or even a magazine with name and address on it? But all this aside, if you don't make your vehicle attractive for theft in the first place, a lot of this is moot anyway.