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From cash to family photos to credit cards, there are all sorts of common items we keep in our wallets. But while they may make life more convenient, there are just some things that, if your wallet ever gets stolen, you’ll wind up kicking yourself for leaving so unprotected.
To keep your privacy safe, make sure you never have these seven items in your wallet.
Social Security Card
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Your Social Security card is a thief’s one-way ticket to successfully stealing your identity. According to Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a thief armed with your Social Security number can file taxes on your behalf, open a line of credit in your name or commit any number of cyber crimes. If a thief swipes your wallet with your Social Security card inside, contact the Social Security Administration immediately and stay alert for possible warning signs of identity theft.
Gift Cards
A gift card to your favorite movie theater or restaurant can help save money on your next date – or, it could fund a thief’s night on the town. According to Adam Levin, founder of global identity protection and data risk services firm CyberScout and author of Swiped, a gift card is essentially cash. And because retailers typically don’t require an ID to use a gift card, you risk losing serious purchasing power when you store gift cards in your wallet.
It is best to only carry one when you are going to use it.
Too Many Credit Cards
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Financially savvy people know the benefits of having a few different credit cards. After all, some cards come with potentially lucrative rewards programs that can help you earn points or miles. But if you carry around too many credit cards in your wallet, a successful thief can easily destroy your credit and rack up ridiculous balances. Keep a maximum of two or three on hand.
Your Work ID
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Whether you like your job or not, your employer certainly won’t be pleased if someone swipes your work ID and gains access to their facility. If your work ID falls into the wrong hands, it could lead to serious consequences for the business. Getting fired might be the least of your worries at that point.
Passwords
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There are so many digital services integral to modern life, and to follow best security practices you should have a different password for each of them. That inevitably makes it hard to keep track of all those passwords. You may be one of the 67 percent of people who writes their passwords down on a piece of paper (according to a 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center), but that doesn’t mean you should store that paper in your wallet. If a thief gets your alarm codes, bank PINs and email passwords, your security and safety would definitely be at risk.
Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, suggests using a password management app on your phone or computer instead of the old pen-and-paper method.
Spare Keys
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Keeping a spare key in your wallet is essentially the same as inviting a thief over for dinner. If someone steals your wallet, your driver’s license will reveal your address. And with a spare key in hand, you’re opening up yourself (and your family and friends) to a serious security nightmare.
Leave a spare key with a family member or friend instead of slipping it into the back pocket of your wallet.
Blank Checks
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A blank check can be a criminal’s best friend. Besides counterfeiting the checks, a thief can use the bank account and routing numbers to withdraw money electronically – by the time you find out, your account could be empty.
It’s really best to only leave home with a blank check when you know you’ll be filling it out.
