The weekend before my birthday my wallet was stolen. I called my bank immediately and cancelled my debit card. I have no credit cards because they are the devil. And everything else in my wallet was some kinda store discount card so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Mostly I was annoyed because that meant I had to get a new debit card from my bank and that always manages to take the longest amount of time humanly possible.
I hoped my wallet had just fallen out of my bag and some lovely person would mail it back to me. I did call the credit bureau they said they’d notify the others and I got a letter in the mail saying they had. I also contacted my bank and put a super secret password in place on my account. Then I continued about my business.
Over the weekend, though, I got a letter in the mail from Sears telling me my credit sucks so I can’t get a credit card. I thought, WTF? I haven’t been in a Sears in YEARS. Why on earth would I want a credit card? I then realized those bastards who stole my wallet thought I had decent credit. Did they not notice that I have no credit cards?? Hello Dumbasses! Well, after talking to my brother and being told some horror stories, I went to the police station and filed a police report so I could cover my ass. I then called the FTC as well as Trans Union, the credit bureau listed on the letter from Sears. Well, it turns out that although Equifax (who I called the Monday after my wallet was gone) said they’d tell the others, they didn’t actually tell the other bureaus that my stuff was stolen. If you are ever in this position, call TransUnion first, you actually get a person on the phone. Equifax is all automated, never do you get a human.
I ran my credit report and I saw that these jackwagons went to Sprint and AT&T as well. I called Sprint to make sure they didn’t give these people anything (they did not) and I called AT&T to be sure as well. Since I do have AT&T home service already I was worried they may have given these idiots a phone or something and then I’d be stuck with the bill. A very lovely woman named Elizabeth helped me and gave me the number to their fraud department (If you think someone is trying to get AT&T service with your info call 866-718-2011) The thieves did not get anything from AT&T with my info, thank goodness.
If you lose your wallet or it gets stolen, or if you think your identity has been stolen here’s what you need to do:
Call your bank first – hopefully they’re awesome like my bank and you get a human on the phone without pushing buttons. I honestly have no idea if anything with my bank account number was in my wallet, so they put a super secret password on my account.
Call the credit bureaus – all three of them. Don’t believe them when they say they will contact the others for you.
TransUnion
Equifax
Experian
Each of them have a way to report fraud online. TransUnion was the only one that I called and actually reached a person. I’d certainly start with them. If you’ve got the option to make these places call you to confirm that you’re the one applying for credit, do it. Experian has it on their online form, but you’ve got to check the box to make it appear. I did not see anything like that on Equifax’s form. TransUnion asked me if I wanted the option.
Call the FTC – 1-877-438-4338 Make sure it’s on file with them that your information was stolen. It will help you in your fight to prove your identity was stolen.
File a police report – I know it seems like a hassle to go to the police. Especially in a city like Chicago where they don’t even pull you over for turning right from the left hand lane in front of a police officer (I saw it happen!!). But, in Illinois if your ID is lost or stolen and you have a police report you don’t pay the fine to get your ID replaced. Also, it’s something you’ll need when calling the FTC – they ask for the police report number.
And finally, keep written notes of dates and times when you did all of this. Also write down who you talked to at each place, the officer’s name who took the report (if it is not on the police report you received), and everything else you deem worthy of writing down. Put all of this in a very safe place. Check your credit report immediately and then check it each year. Keep an eye on everything you get in the mail. Even if you think it’s junk, open it and look it over. I thought that Sears letter was junk but something made me open it. If you see someone submitted your info to any kind of lender or potential creditor, call them and make sure no one got credit that wasn’t you. I feel that I’m lucky that my credit is completely shot or I’d be fighting with a few places right now.
Check your wallet and purse right now, what’s in it that doesn’t need to be there? Take it out put it in a safe place and make sure you know where that safe place is because you don’t want to lose it. Also, if you carry your money, ID and bus pass in the same place – that’s going to bite you on the ass. Keep each one in a separate spot. Luckily my bus card was in a separate pocket of my bag and not in my wallet. I was still able to get home.
Yesterday I was reminded just how awesome the internet has been to me. I was headed to an appointment when I saw a woman walking toward me in a super cute pair of red boots. When I was able to tear my eyes away from her footwear, I realized I knew her. I’d had phone conversations and emails with her. We just hadn’t met face to face. We stopped and had our “Oh My God!” moment and hugged each other fiercely. That meeting made my week…heck I think it made my November.
Even now I’m still meeting fabulous people online either through social media or online communities. I’ve found soul sisters, mentors, coaches and an amazing support system through my online friends. The internet has helped me to build a community, a family, of people that I can turn to with all kinds of different questions and issues. I want so much to be able to create and add to this resource I’ve found. I want to help other people see what I’ve seen and find the same kind of community that I’ve found. I want to help people see the power in the internet. I want everyone to know what I know. Social media isn’t just another way for businesses to sell you things you don’t need. It’s a way for you to reach out to others and connect. Give it a try!