WHAT TO DO IF YOUR
WALLET IS LOST OR STOLEN
While you’re struggling at the mall with bags of presents,
identity thieves see an opportunity to steal your wallet and debit or credit
card numbers.
According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division
of Consumer Affairs, there are 5 steps consumers should take, the first of
which should be done NOW before anything happens: 1) Make copies of all your credit cards, ID cards and licenses – everything in your wallet
(both sides); if the card is stolen, 2)
Call the companies that issued your credit cards. This should be done at
once and you should follow up with a letter; 3) Call the three national credit-reporting
agencies and ask them to attach a fraud alert to all your credit cards; 4)
If your social security card is missing, call
the Social Security Administration
(fraud line). Also, be sure to call the Department of Motor Vehicles, as well
as any other organizations from which you lost cards; 5) Call the police if
you were a victim of theft. You may be required to show a police report to
support your claim that a crime was committed.
Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.
