What To Do If You Lose Your Purse or Wallet

May 17, 2001

This was sent to me. Good info.

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed using your name,

address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I (author of this piece) have

firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a

week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied

for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer,

received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information

online, and more.

But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens

to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit

cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card

numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them

easily (having to hunt for them is additional stress you WON'T need at that

point)! On a personal note, I remember losing a MC and until got the toll

free number from information, etc. I was a wreck.

File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen,

this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward

an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important: I never ever thought to do this.

Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a

fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until

advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made

over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your

credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by

phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this --

almost 2 weeks after the theft -- all the damage had been done (there are

records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of

which I knew about before placing the alert).

Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my

wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped

them in their tracks. The numbers are:

Equifax 1-800 525-6285

Experian (formerly TRW) 1-

Trans Union 1-

Social Security Administration also has a fraud line at 1-

We pass along jokes, we pass along just about everything....do think about

passing this information along .... It could help someone else.

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