DO NOT Regularly Carry These Items:
Social Security Card
Passport
Birth Certificate
Personal Identification Numbers (PIN)
Checkbook
ALL of your Credit Cards – just carry one or two frequently used cards. 

 

 

1. File a report with the police in the jurisdiction where the loss happened.  Keep a copy of the police report. 

 

2. Cancel the credit cards that were in your wallet by calling the issuer(s) immediately. Many companies have 24-hour toll-free numbers to deal with emergencies; the number is on the back of the credit card that you have copied and safely stored or on the monthly statement.5. Contact all other companies whose cards were in your wallet, such as the library, fitness clubs, grocery stores, etc.

 

 

8. Change your home and car locks if your keys were there, too and change your security codes as well.

9. Call the fraud departments of the credit bureaus to place an initial (90 day) Fraud Alert on your account. Contact all three directly.

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

 

Request the free credit report provided by the Fraud Alert; this will give you a baseline to which to compare future credit reports in the event of identity theft.

10. If your wallet was stolen and you suspect identity theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft.  They provide information to help consumers resolve the financial and other problems that can result from identity theft.Call the FTC at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or go to the FTC online , click on ID Theft listed under the Quick Finder section. 
File an online complaint form with the FTC and keep a printed copy for your records.  After 90 days, contact the credit bureaus to extend the Initial Fraud Alert, if needed.  This is recommended if your wallet and its contents are not found or recovered. For the next year, continue to monitor your credit reports to assure that no fraudulent activity has occurred.  You can do this at no cost through the Fraud Alert provisions and/or with your free, annual credit reports.