Losing your wallet or purse is stressful. Your money, credit cards, driver’s license, all gone. Don’t fret too much about tracking down contact information to close accounts and get things replaced. USA.gov puts the answers you need in one easy-to-find place.
- Make a list of what you had in your wallet and tackle the important things first.
- Immediately cancel all your credit and debit cards, letting your bank know that your wallet was lost or stolen. Request new copies of the card with a new account number.
- File a police report so there is an official record.
- Report a missing driver’s license to your state’s department of motor vehicles and request a new copy.
- Alert the fraud departments of the major credit reporting companies. They will place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number, and you can request that they alert you before opening a line of credit in your name. (Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742, Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289)
- Request a replacement Social Security card and consider not carrying it in your wallet.
- Contact either your company’s HR department or your health insurance provider directly to get a replacement insurance card. If you’ve lost a Medicare card, contact the Social Security Administration to get a replacement.
- For other miscellaneous cards, like membership cards, video rental cards and bonus club cards, you’ll have to contact the individual companies directly.