Losing your wallet can make you feel frustrated and panicked because if it falls into the wrong hands, your lost wallet can become a threat to your finances and to your good name. Whether it was stolen or you simply misplaced it, it’s important to figure out what happened as soon as possible, so you can minimize the damage. After all, your wallet does contain key information about yourself and also some of the most important things you need to use every day, like your ID card, your driver’s license, your credit or your debit cards and if you are a college student, your university ID or your room keys. Here are a few important things you should do immediately after losing your wallet:
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1. Search for Your Wallet
First of all, try to figure out what happened to your wallet. Is it actually lost, stolen or just misplaced? Just relax, focus and think. Then look again in the places it would normally be. Maybe you just didn’t notice it. Retrace your steps and call the places you’ve been recently. Maybe they found it and they can give it back to you, so problem solved.
2. Cancel Your Credit/Debit Cards
If you don’t find your wallet after looking for it carefully, the next thing you should do immediately is to cancel all your credit or debit cards. If you don’t have your credit card company’s phone number at hand, just go online and you will find it on their website. Explain to them that your card was lost and they will also verify your last five or six transactions to make sure that nobody used your credit card.
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3. Call the Police
Well, this point is pretty obvious. Even though it may seem a bit over the top, it’s an essential step for fraud prevention. They will not go and look for your lost wallet, but this will come in handy if someone tries to steal your identity or use your credit cards.
4. Report Your Missing Driver’s License
The next thing you should do is to go to your local DMV and report your missing driver’s license. Try to do this as soon as possible, so that they can process your application quicker to reissue a license.
5. Change the Locks if Your Keys Are Missing
If your wallet contains a house key, then it’s best for you to change the locks as soon as possible, to avoid a robbery. Even if your wallet is returned, someone could have copied the key very easily. So, in order for you to stay safe, go to your local Home Depot and buy a lock that you can easily install by yourself.
6. Make a List of Everything That Was in Your Wallet
People tend to have a lot of things in their wallets, so if you want to make sure that you didn’t forget anything, make a list of those things. Maybe there are other things that need to be replaced or reported too, like store discount cards or even a library card.
7. If You Are Abroad, Contact Your Embassy
A lot of people keep their passports in their wallet, so if you are abroad and you lost your wallet, make sure that you contact your embassy as soon as possible and report your missing passport. For a fee, you’ll be able to schedule an appointment and get a new passport.
If you notice that your wallet is missing, try not to panic. Retrace your steps and look in the places where you normally keep it. If you notice that it really is missing, then follow the steps presented in this article and your finances and your good name will stay safe. Have you ever lost your wallet? How did you handle that problem? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
Sources:
wikihow.com
lifehacker.com
college.usatoday.com
wisebread.com
Comments
Kalsang: I have lost my wallet recently. Thanks for the tips
M3g: I have both lost my wallet and returned ones I have found. Often people are just preoccupied-as I have turned in wallets to the bank and gas stations. I don't even open it, I just give it straight to management or a nearby police station.
peony: Great tips.
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