Money for Any Reason You May Need!

6 Items in Your Wallet That Put Your Identity at Risk

Have you ever wondered what would occur if your purse or wallet was ever stolen? Chances are you tend to carry around a slew of confidential information with you wherever you go, and this could get you into a huge amount of trouble if your belongings were ever stolen. You probably heard of identity theft, and know that it happens when someone takes your personal information such as your birthdate, Social Security number or even your mother's maiden name, and use it in order to commit fraud. Here are six items in your wallet that can put you at serious risk if your purse or wallet was ever lost or stolen.

Social Security Card

Your Social Security card number is essentially who you are, it is the cornerstone of your identity. Carrying around this card in your wallet is a huge mistake. There are only a limited number of situations where you'll actually need your Social Security card, for instance when you are completing paperwork for a job. It is better to instead memorize your Social Security number, and then put your card in a locked cabinet or safety deposit box.

Password Sheet

Having multiple passwords to things can make it difficult to keep track of all of them, especially if you change your passwords around as recommended, and have difficult passwords to remember. However, keeping a sheet of paper with all of your passwords on it in your purse or wallet is an extremely bad idea. If a thief has all of your passwords he can easily gain access to your online identity. Instead, leave this sheet at home in a locked cabinet or drawer.

Debit Card Pin Number

If you have a debit card and are having a hard time remembering the personal identification number (PIN) then you may be tempted to carry a piece of paper with it around in your wallet or purse, or even put it in your phone. However, this is just asking for your money to be stolen. Keep in mind that the whole point of a PIN code is to keep thieves from being able to access your money, but you are essentially handing it to them by keeping your PIN code around your debit card. If a criminal gets his or her hands on your access code and debit card then they can easily drain your bank account in a few seconds.

Checks

Keeping blank checks in your wallet is a very obvious risk, as it is an extremely easy way for criminals to drain your checking account. However, even keeping a check that is already filled out can cause financial loss. This is due to the fact that the account numbers, as well as the routing numbers that are written on checks can allow anyone to electronically transfer your funds from your checking account. Instead, avoid carrying paper checks unless you absolutely need them, and never take your entire checkbook with you.

Passport

Carrying around anything that has a government-issued photo ID posse a risk, as it opens the door for ID thieves. Criminals love getting their hands on passports as they can utilize them for virtually anything. This includes traveling under your name, getting a copy of your Social Security card and opening a bank account under your name. Instead, only have your driver's license on you when you're traveling within the United States.

Credit Cards

You don't have to be fearful to bring your credit cards out with you altogether. In fact, a study found that those who carry around a credit card on a regular basis tend to have a much higher credit score than those who don't. However, you should avoid bringing more than one card out with you at once. This is because the more cards you carry around with you, the more of them you'll have to cancel upon losing your purse or wallet.