What to do if your Wallet is Stolen
While purse snatching still occurs, people have been finding lately that just the wallet is the real prize. Pick pockets may sneak a man’s wallet out of his pocket on a busy street. And many women are now reporting their wallets going missing right out of their purses.
Protecting the Goods
A whole new level of diligence is now required to secure your items. Criminals are looking for any opportunity to grab your wallet. You may not realize it for quite a while, giving them plenty of time to go on a spending spree at your expense.
Whether you are at the grocery store and have your purse in the front of the shopping cart, or at a restaurant with your bag hanging on the back of the chair, your wallet is a target. When shopping, it is better to use a cross-body bag that you wear the entire time or just bring the essentials (drivers license, credit card and medical insurance) in a front pocket and don’t use a purse at all. At a restaurant, never hang your bag on the chair unless you are against a wall with no access behind you. Keep it in your lap, on the table or hang it over your knee under the table.
And limit what you carry on a daily basis. Your social security card should be kept at home in a safe place. Similarly, if you are not using certain credit cards, do not carry them with you. When was the last time you wrote a check? The checkbook is probably much safer at home than with you when you are out and about. And gift cards are like losing cash if stolen. Unless you registered them online, you won’t be able to recover the funds still available if they are taken.
If your Wallet is Snatched
But what if they do grab your wallet? Follow these steps to be sure you limit what they get away with and your personal liability.
- Call your bank first. If you had a debit card and/or checks in the wallet, call your bank right away. There are requirements about the amount of time you need to call in the stolen items. But on top of that, a debit card or check is pulling money straight out of your account. While many banks will offer you provisional credit for some of the money that was stolen, often you have to wait until their investigation is done to get all your money back. If the thief cleaned out your account, this can be a hardship for sure.
- Notify credit cards. Contact each credit card company for the cards that were stolen. Don’t forget about gas cards and store cards.
- Put a fraud alert on your credit report. Inform the three credit bureaus what was stolen. You may want to restrict any new account openings or require notifications to you of any new applications.
- Contact the SSA. If your social security card was in the wallet, notify the Social Security Administration so you can get a new card. To prevent identity theft, you may need to add a monitoring service to your credit reports to be sure no one is using your SSN to apply for credit.
- Replace ID cards. You will need to replace your driver’s license, insurance cards, library card, access cards, etc.
- File a police report. It is always important to report these crimes. The police may be able to identify trends or suspects based on the information you provide. They can also issue alerts if they know where people are being targeted.
Stay Diligent
In addition to watching your credit reports and working with the banks and credit card companies to finalize their investigations and get your money back, remember the thief now has your name and address. Watch for packages being delivered to your address that you did not order and report them to the police. Also, be sure you are using your alarm and CCTV system if you have them. If you have a security patrol in your neighborhood, ask them to do extra drive-bys when you are away at work or if you go on vacation.
We Can Help
Cultris Security Systems can help you keep your home secure with burglar alarm monitoring and installation as well as a camera system. Call us at 281-506-8466 or visit us online for more information.
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
