What to do if Your Wallet is Stolen

The other day I thought I had lost my wallet. I've been so scatter-brained lately with the holidays, I can't seem to keep track of stuff.

I left my wallet in the console of my car. Imagine my panic when I was in the check-out line and couldn't find my wallet.  I broke out in a cold sweat! All kinds of things went through my mind.  Thank goodness I found it....

I know this story doesn't always have a happy ending. So I started thinking about making a list of what I'd need to do if I really had lost my wallet or had it stolen.

 Heres my first list: 

• Don't carry your social security card
• Carry only one credit card - make a copy of both sides and keep in a safe place at home
• Make a list of membership cards you carry - include account numbers and contact info
• Make a copy of your insurance cards - both sides - keep in a safe place at home
• Don't write your PIN number on your ATM or debit card - don't write it on anything else in your wallet either

• File a Police Report - important. This proves the date, time and location of the theft or loss.
• Lost Driver's License - contact the DMV of your state and report it.
• Contact your bank - report stolen ATM or debit card. If you had  your checkbook in your purse, get a stop payment on the range of check numbers you were carrying. There will probably be a fee for this but  you won't be liable for any unauthorized checks that were written. Consider closing that account and opening a new one. Remember to change any payments that are on automatic withdrawals.
• Change PIN numbers
• Social Security Card - report stolen or lost card to the Social Security Administration fraud hotline at 1-800-772-1213
• Put a Fraud Alert on your credit report - contact any of the credit bureaus and request a fraud alert. It will need to be renewed every 90 days. TransUnion - 800-680-7289 - Equifax - 800-525-6285 - Experian - 888-397-3742
• Contact your credit card companies - you can find your account numbers and Customer Service numbers on your credit card statements. Report loss or theft and request a new account number.
• Insurance Card - request a new card - report old one as lost or stolen
• Membership Cards - Contact any places you have a membership with like a library card, gym, country club, etc. Let them know of the loss/theft and get a new card.
• House keys - have your door locks rekeyed or install new ones
• Car Keys - get a locksmith or car dealership to rekey your car locks.
• Cell Phone - call your cell provider immediately. You'll be responsible for calls until you report it lost or stolen.
• Order your credit report - get your credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com. Wait a month after the theft to get one because it will take that long to show up on your report.