What to Do if Your Wallet Is Lost or Stolen

3. File a police report

Call your local precinct to get a police report on record. Even though the police may not be able to recover your missing wallet, it’s a crucial piece of documentation to have on hand.

With a police report, you have evidence of theft in case someone tries to use your info for fraud. “This is for your own protection,” says Chelsea Binns, former president of the New York Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and assistant professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Also, she says, if someone finds your wallet, a filed police report will have your contact info so the items can be returned to you quickly.

4. Set up fraud alerts

Depending on what services your bank or credit card offers, you can sign up for account activity alerts through email, text message or the company’s app. This will allow you to catch suspicious transactions immediately.

5. Update your auto-pay accounts

As soon as you receive replacement cards, make sure to update the billing information for anything handled through auto-pay to avoid late fees.

6. Keep an eye on all of your accounts

Thieves can’t keep using a card once you’ve shut down the account, but that doesn’t mean you should stop checking your monthly paper statements and monitoring your online bank and credit card accounts for suspicious withdrawals or charges you don’t recognize. Be alert to tiny withdrawals: Sometimes thieves will process a small debit or charge against your account to see if it will go through, then return to withdraw higher amounts.

Fraudulent charges to your card or debits to your bank account might occur many months after the theft of your information. “They can do it in a subtle way, because many people don’t necessarily check their bank accounts on a daily basis,” Levin says. “By the time you find out that there’s something amiss, there could be a great deal gone.”

7. Replace what’s been lost

Social Security card

Your Social Security card is gold for identity thieves, so it always should be kept safe at home. But if it’s been spirited away with your wallet, reach out to the Social Security Administration (SSA), pronto, and report its loss. Before requesting a replacement card, consider whether you actually need one. What really matters is knowing your number — you’ll rarely need the card itself. A replacement should be obtained if you’re starting a new job or live in Pennsylvania, where you’ll need it to apply for a Real ID.

If you must replace your card, you can request a replacement Social Security card online or by calling 800-772-1213. Once you’re clear on which documents you’ll need (for example, proof of identity, such as a driver’s license, passport or state-issued ID card), print and fill out the application form, then take it and your original documents to your local Social Security office (the website will help you find the address). 

The SSA also offers an option to block electronic access to your Social Security account by calling 800-772-1213. This will prevent anyone, including you, from accessing or changing your account information. To reverse the block, you’ll need to call the number and, of course, confirm your identity.

Driver’s license

When someone has your license, they can perpetrate all kinds of fraud, including opening credit cards, taking out loans, changing your address and receiving your mail (including new credit cards), and filing for unemployment benefits in your name.

You also need a license to drive legally, so you’ll want to replace it immediately.

Check your state’s official DMV website to find out how to do so. The process varies by state; some states let you apply for a replacement online. You’ll typically pay a small fee (anywhere from $5 to $34).

Medicare card

In the wrong hands, your Medicare number may be used for scams, such as filing for false claims and reimbursement. “A type of growing fraud involves Medicare fraud,” Binns says. “Someone can use your health insurance, and you may not know at the time. But after the fact, you may go to have a procedure and you’re told you’ve already hit your deductible.”

To replace your Medicare card, you have two options. The quicker and more convenient: Log in to your online Medicare account, then click Print My Medicare Card on the main page. You can use this until your sturdier paper version comes in the mail. Or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to order a replacement.

You can also replace your Medicare card through Social Security, which is convenient if both cards are missing. Log in online and navigate to the Medicare Enrollment Detail section. Click on Replace Your Medicare Card, then Mail My Replacement Medicare Card.

Your new card will be mailed to you at your address on file with the Social Security Administration in about 30 days. Make a note of your Medicare number because you don’t always need the card to be eligible for benefits. If you forget your card or don’t have it with you, a provider may be able to look up your information online in the government’s secure system.

If you’ve lost a health insurance card from a private plan, file a request for a new card online or by phone. Representatives should be able to guide you through the process of obtaining a new one. Check your explanation of benefits summaries regularly for fraudulent usage.