How to Deal With a Stolen Wallet
A stolen wallet can be a big problem. An identity thief may try using your existing credit cards. But the bigger issue comes when they steal your personal information to establish brand new "fraudulent" accounts with new creditors.
Contact your credit card issuers immediately by getting their phone numbers, along with your account numbers, from monthly billing statements. Get new cards with new numbers sent to you (if this is their policy). But don't stop there.
If your driver's license was stolen along with your wallet then contact your state's department of motor vehicles right away. Follow their procedures for having a "fraud alert" attached to your license number as you request a new license.
If any other cards were taken, such as those attached with memberships of any kind, then you'll need to call those organizations as well. Have fraud alerts posted to your accounts. ID thieve often use such accounts to open brand new "fraud" accounts.
How can you know when any fraud accounts are opened in your name?
The answer lies with the big 3 credit reporting agencies. Your profile and sensitive credit information is in their databases. Any new accounts, including ones resulting from fraud, will likely appear in them before you get any news from other sources.
They can be reached at the following phone numbers: Trans Union - 800-888-4213, Experian - 888-397-3742 and Equifax - 800-685-1111.
Ask each one to send you a free copy of your credit report. Then request a "fraud alert" be attached to your credit profile with each of them. Make sure you contact all 3 agencies.
Another way to obtain a free yearly credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies is to visit the website http://www.annualcreditreport.com. You can get fast credit reports this way. Just make sure you fully print out each report when it comes up on the screen.
The credit reports should tell you if fraud accounts already exist. But placing a fraud alert on file with the big 3 agencies is important because you never know when a fraudster might try and open up new accounts in your name.
Most fraud alerts are good for 90 days. And you can extend such alerts much longer if you want.
According to a recent survey, many identity theft crimes are connected directly to stolen wallets. The faster you deal with potential ID fraud issues by contacting credit reporting agencies the less problems you should have to deal with down the road if it comes to clearing up your credit profile.
Contact your credit card issuers immediately by getting their phone numbers, along with your account numbers, from monthly billing statements. Get new cards with new numbers sent to you (if this is their policy). But don't stop there.
If your driver's license was stolen along with your wallet then contact your state's department of motor vehicles right away. Follow their procedures for having a "fraud alert" attached to your license number as you request a new license.
If any other cards were taken, such as those attached with memberships of any kind, then you'll need to call those organizations as well. Have fraud alerts posted to your accounts. ID thieve often use such accounts to open brand new "fraud" accounts.
How can you know when any fraud accounts are opened in your name?
The answer lies with the big 3 credit reporting agencies. Your profile and sensitive credit information is in their databases. Any new accounts, including ones resulting from fraud, will likely appear in them before you get any news from other sources.
They can be reached at the following phone numbers: Trans Union - 800-888-4213, Experian - 888-397-3742 and Equifax - 800-685-1111.
Ask each one to send you a free copy of your credit report. Then request a "fraud alert" be attached to your credit profile with each of them. Make sure you contact all 3 agencies.
Another way to obtain a free yearly credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies is to visit the website http://www.annualcreditreport.com. You can get fast credit reports this way. Just make sure you fully print out each report when it comes up on the screen.
The credit reports should tell you if fraud accounts already exist. But placing a fraud alert on file with the big 3 agencies is important because you never know when a fraudster might try and open up new accounts in your name.
Most fraud alerts are good for 90 days. And you can extend such alerts much longer if you want.
According to a recent survey, many identity theft crimes are connected directly to stolen wallets. The faster you deal with potential ID fraud issues by contacting credit reporting agencies the less problems you should have to deal with down the road if it comes to clearing up your credit profile.
