What to Do if Your Wallet is Lost or Stolen

     We've all been there. We put our wallet down just for a minute and soon discover it has been lost or stolen.

Even if it is

temporarily misplaced, the panic we experience registers a 10 on our emotional richter scale.
      Whether our loss is due to our own carelessness or an identify thief, there are things we can do to protect ourselves, but they must be done ahead of time. Recently, I read these tips from an attorney who had his wallet stolen. Take the time now to read and take action to minimize your losses if you find yourself in a similar position:

Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "Photo ID Required."
When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, don't put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just  put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the accountnumber, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

Put your work phone numer on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a post office box, use that instead of your home address.

Photocopy the contents of your wallet. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also, copy your passport and carry it  with you when you travel.

5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Make a list of these 800 numbers and keep them where you can find them.
File a police report immediately if your credit cards are stolen.. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. The alert will notify any company that checks your credit that your information was stolen. They will have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

Here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:

*Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
*Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
*Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289
*Toll free numbers to report your lost of stolen credit cards appear on the front or back of the cards.