How to Protect Your Identity if Your Wallet or Purse is Stolen

It’s happened to me. I had my purse hanging on the back of my chair at a restaurant, and when I went to pay the bill, it wasn’t there anymore. Someone took it. No one saw who took it. And it had my entire life in it—my checkbook, my credit cards, my license, my Blackberry, my iPod, and all sorts of business cards and receipts with personal information. Little did I know the work that I would have to do to protect my identity from this criminal. With access to all that personal information, this criminal could have a hay-day with all my credit cards and bank accounts. If your wallet or purse is ever stolen, here are some steps you need to take to ensure your identity is protected:

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Call all credit card and ATM card issuers.
2. Call the local police and open a police report for your missing property.
3. Call the three major credit reporting agencies and freeze your accounts.
4. Contact your bank's fraud department and discuss options for protecting your account.
5. Check your credit reports--a lot--and watch for suspicious activities.
6. Report your missing driver's license to the DMV.
7. Replace the locks on your house and your car if your keys have been stolen.
8. Write down everything that you had in your wallet or purse, even makeup.
9. Enroll in identity theft protection online.