What Happens When your Wallet is Stolen?

First of all, after the feeling of being totally violated wears off, you come to the realization that someone has your things.  Then anger begins!

Yesterday, sometime in the middle of the night someone took my wallet out of my car.  I can't even say that they broke in.  It was the first time that I have forgotten to lock my car.  It was a crazy night, groceries, grand kids, watering, and we just all forgot.  When I came out the next morning to leave for work, my console was open and contents were on the front seat of the car, and sunglasses and spare eyeglasses were on the floor after my wallet was pulled from it's cubbie.

I go to work early, and as it was still dark outside,so I went ahead and went to work.  I immediately checked my bank account to make sure that it hadn't been compromised, then when the sun came up, I went back home to check if my wallet had be discarded somewhere close.  Like my trashcan, or my neighbors.  No such luck.

Believe it or not there are actual steps that you should take if your wallet is stolen.  According to Experian, these are the steps you take as soon as possible after your wallet is stolen.

1. Call Your Bank to Report Your Debit Card as Stolen. ...
2. Call Your Credit Card Issuers to Report Your Cards as Stolen. ...
3. File a Police Report. ...
4. Make a List of Everything That Was in Your Wallet. ...
5. Initiate a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report. ...
6. Replace Your Driver's License.
7. Report your Social Security Number Stolen
8. Get a New Wallet

I would say that I'm pretty lucky, in that I had my Drivers License with me in my ID Keychain, as well as my company gas card, and a debit card to my personal account.  My Social Security was NOT in my wallet, and nothing in my wallet has my Social Security Number on it. However, my Medical ID's were in there as well as my Fort Sill Visitors Pass, and a little bit of cash.

The thing that is most disturbing to me is not the loss of the cash, or the hours that it took to cancel and replace debit and credit cards, it's the loss of something that can't be replaced; a photo card with all of our vacation pictures from the beach vacation that we took a few weeks ago...And my brand new cowhide wallet.

I hope this never happens to you, but if it does, follow these steps to make sure that you are not left exposed by the low life that steals from other people.