Worst Things to Keep in Your Wallet
Nothing gets your heart and mind racing like reaching for your wallet â and discovering itâs gone. Missing. Lost. You check your car seat. The top of the dresser where you usually keep it. Did you drop it? Or were you the victim of a pickpocket? Following our advice on what not to keep in your wallet wonât eliminate that feeling, but it may lower the panic level
If your wallet is bursting with personal and financial information, you should know that much of that information can be exploited by identity thieves. All the bad guys need to get started is your name and Social Security number. That alone can lead to bogus loan applications and the opening of fraudulent accounts. It can get worse if they can steal from your wallet your government-issued photo ID, including your passport or passport card, and doctor the image.
We reached out to consumer protection experts to identify the things you should immediately purge from your wallet. Oh, and one quick tip before we dive in: Photocopy the front and back of whatever documents you continue to keep inyour wallet. Put that photocopy in a safe place at home, where you can easily retrieve it. If your wallet is lost or stolen, you can at least quickly and easily file reports with the appropriate government agencies and financial institutions.
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