What Should I Do If My Paycheck Stub Is Stolen?

Your paycheck stub might not mean much to you by the end of payday. You already know how much money you've received from direct deposit or your paper check, and you simply needed the stub to look at any deductions, contributions to your retirement or similar information. However, when your paycheck stub is stolen, there is cause for a little bit of panic. After all, this piece of paper contains some very personal information, from your rate of pay to bank account info, in some instances.

Request for the bank to immediately start monitoring your bank account if you have direct deposit. If you don't, still call in case the person that stole your stub tries to cash the check attached or use the stub to access your personal financial information. The bank can freeze your account temporarily, so that no one can conduct any transactions on the account and gain access to your money through your stub.

If there was a check attached to the stub, your human resources representative can put a stop on the check, so the thief can't cash it. She also needs to change your direct deposit information and ensure that there is no access granted to other sensitive information (for example, if the thief uses the stub — with your last four SSN digits — to try to access your 401k info or benefits accounts. Your human resources person can put a stop on such activity and tell you how to best proceed.

Because pay stubs often have enough identifying information to access financial and credit files and accounts, take the extra step to place a fraud alert flag on your credit report. This ensures that the major credit reporting agencies pay attention to any new charges to your credit within a 30-day period (of course, it may also mean that you cannot open new credit accounts during that time) to ensure that the thief doesn't try to get credit in your name.

If there was a check attached to the pay stub, file a police report for the stolen money. However, alert human resources to the fact that you plan to do this if the theft occurred at work, so the company can be prepared for the police presence. If there was no check attached, query your supervisor or human resources person about a more secure way in which you can receive your stub or store it while in the building.