If you have ever lost your wallet you know how frustrating it can be. And having your wallet stolen presents an even greater security risk than you may realize. If you think that the worst thing that can happen after a stolen wallet is that your cash is taken and your credit cards are maxed out, think again. There are 4 items that are probably in your wallet right now that can lead to your entire identity being stolen. You may not carry all of these in your wallet, and if you do, you should think twice before carrying on this habit.
1. Your social security card. This one should be basic. You should never carry your social security card on you, but there are many people that do, and they are at a much higher risk of having their identity stolen should anything happen to their wallets. Once an ID thief has that number it makes the whole job of taking of your personal identity a cake walk. Don’t make it that easy on him, and keep your SS card in a safe at home or in a secret place that is not very accessible.
2. Your credit cards. Did you know that a thief does not even have to have access to your wallet in order to steal all of the information off your credit card. There are many cards that use radio wave technologies, and with special equipment if the crook just walks by you within 5 feet he can send a ping to your card which will retrieve your name, credit card number, and expiration date. You can protect yourself by either not carrying those types of credit cards or putting tin foil around your card. Sounds crazy, but hey, it works.
3. Your insurance cards. You really don’t need to carry these medical insurance cards except for the day of your appointment, so keep them in the safe at home as well. You may be surprised at how little personal information an ID thief needs in order to take away your private data. Health care identity fraud is a huge business right now, so more than ever you need to keep any medical records safe and secure.
4. Anything that has your private passwords on it. This one might also seem like a no-brainer, but more people are carrying their passwords for their email and other accounts in their wallet. You might think that you would never lose your wallet so why not just keep that information with you at all times in case you forget, but you never know what might happen to your wallet. No one plans to lose their wallet or have it stolen. It just happens. And when it does you need to make sure that there is no information in there that will breach the security of your identity.
For more information about how you can protect yourself from identity theft, check out Jon's website at www.SafeIdentityProtection.com. You will find helpful tips and reviews on ID theft protection services and how you can get your ID back after it is stolen.
