How to Deal With Losing Your Wallet

If you've lost your wallet, it's important to act fast. Prevent a thief from using your credit cards, identification or trashing your credit. Keep your bank and credit card account numbers in a safe place at home to refer to them if you lose your wallet or purse.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Cancel all your credit cards and bank cards immediately. Contact each credit card company and report the card lost.
2. Call the Social Security fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271 to report a lost card. If your Social Security number is on anything like an insurance card, report it as stolen.
3. Protect your credit score and history. Report your stolen credit cards to the three major credit report bureaus. They can activate a fraud alert on your credit files. Call Equifax at 1-800-525-6285; Experian at 1-800-493-1058 and TransUnion at 1-800-916-8800.
4. Alert the police department that you lost your wallet or purse. Fill out a report and put a copy with your personal financial records.
5. Check your credit card reports by telephone, online or with the paper statements as soon as you possible to verify any unauthorized purchases.
6. Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to report your driver's license stolen. Follow the proper procedure to obtain a duplicate license.
7. Inform your cell phone company of the loss of your phone, if it was in your wallet. The company can disconnect the service to avoid any unwarranted expenses.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a list of all your credit card numbers and toll free customer service phone numbers and keep that list in an easily accessible place, other than your wallet.
• While filing a police report may seem meaningless, the report can be useful if you need to prove a thief stole your wallet in a later fraud or identity theft case.
• Don't carry any personal account numbers like bank account numbers, birth certificates, passports or Social Security cards in your wallet at any time.
• Don't put driver's license or Social Security numbers on your bank checks. Identity theft occurs when a person has illegal access to these numbers.