Monday my work bag with my purse in it was stolen from my locked car in
a parking lot outside a hotel in Bloomington. No real damage was done
to the car, and my purse had little in terms of contents. My work bag
had quite a bit and my biggest bummer was my labeling machine.
I spent the majority of my Tuesday dealing with the aftermath of a
theft. Calls to make, reports to file, accounts to close, claim to
make, etc...
I had been fortunate enough to have little cash and no 'real'
valuables. I've heard of people walking around with their Social
Security cards in their wallets, luckily I have mine in (you thought
I'd tell you, didn't you?
)
- somewhere else. My driver's license was in there, a Debit Visa, all
my Membership cards to like - Petsmart, Holiday, Office Depot, etc. -
hey, rack up all the points ya want for me there. But then I had a
whole bunch of Gift Cards in there, gifts from Christmas and my
birthday, some not used at all, some with a remaining amount on them.
That was another bummer - no way to trace those at all!
I had about 2 months ago photocopied the entire contents of my purse.
This proved to be very handy while I filed and called and claimed. I
then did some research as to what a person is supposed to do after a
theft like this, where and what to report and how to prevent identity
theft.
So I thought I'd share all that I learned with my readers so you can be prepared should this heinous crime happen to you!
Before
First off, photocopy everything in your purse and/or wallet. Remember
the backside! Do your credit cards, insurance cards, gift cards (mine
weren't on there!), driver's license - any card that normally resides
in your purse. Remember your checkbook.
You need to have a list somewhere of all these customer service numbers that is easily assessable and not in your wallet!
No account numbers or anything identifying - just the CS #.
If you carry other items that may be of value, don't! OK, just be
smart about it. But create a log and/or take pictures and reference
where the receipts are if applicable.
Store these is a
very safe place! A fireproof safe, a safety deposit box, in the Diaper Genie (just kidding), you know the drill.
Remember to keep it updated. Put it on your calendar or reminder system on regular intervals.
After
#1 - Cry.
Then take a deep breath and tell yourself the person who took it must
have really been in need and way worse off than you to commit the
crime. Feel better? I know, it was worth a try...
Grab your list of customer service numbers and start calling. Let them know the situation.
Get your photocopies, logs, and pictures to boost your memory and to prove what you actually had in there.
Most accounts will need to be closed and then a new one opened.
Call your bank/s, credit unions, anywhere you have an account open and
let them know to be on fraud alert, that your purse was stolen.
Call the police in the jurisdiction of the crime scene. Make a theft
report. Depending on the city/county there may be a hotline, a message
center, or you could even go online. When an officer called me back 4
hours later, I was told this type of crime didn't take precedence - so
be prepared to wait. This crime definitely went up to the top of my
priority list, how dare they!
Get a copy of the police report. This will serve as proof should your bank or credit card companies need it.
Next call the 3 National Credit Reporting Agencies and have them put a
fraud alert on your credit report. You can also put a temporary
security freeze on your credit line. Usually reporting to one will
automatically report to the other 2, but make sure.
Equifax: Call 1-888-766-0008
Experian: Call 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: Call 1-800-680-7289
All of these websites have a ton of information on fraud prevention,
you can fill out an online fraud alert report versus calling, or you
can download a form to be mailed in.
Next get copies of your credit reports from those agencies. Review
them carefully for fraudulent accounts or unauthorized changes.
Let the business know about the theft if it occurred at a commercial establishment.
Be sure to contact the DMV in your area to report the theft if your
driver's license was involved and receive instructions on replacing it.
The
Social Security Administration also has a fraud line if you suspect you have been a victim of fraud: 1-800-269-0271
If necessary call your insurance company to file a claim. (Those labelers are worth a pretty penny, y'know!)
Carefully monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity and report as necessary.
A lot of times people do not find out they are victims of identity theft until way after the fact. Be proactive.
So all-in-all it was a great experience. I really learned a lot about
identity theft, other fraud, and the prevention of these crimes. I
also learned that I should always keep my favorite lipstick on me at
all times, my luck the color will have been discontinued!
And my secret hope is that if the perp dies in some strange freak
accident, that my donor card will be used and all those organs will go
to good use and something really wonderful will have come from a little
'ol purse theft!
