| If you have just discovered that your purse or wallet is | | | | home and do not have access to a statement, you |
| missing, your credit card may have been stolen. | | | | may be able to find the number by going to the issuing |
| Whether your credit card was lost or stolen, it has the | | | | company's Web site. |
| potential to cause a lot of harm if it falls into the wrong | | | | 3. Document everything. |
| hands. In the event that your credit card is lost or | | | | While speaking with your credit card company, make |
| stolen, you will need to move quickly to avoid damage | | | | sure to note the name of each representative you |
| to your good credit, especially if your credit card | | | | speak with. Then, document the conversations that |
| carries a high limit. If you have one or more credit | | | | were had in a formal letter to the company. Following |
| cards, it is advisable to take photocopies of the front | | | | these steps will ensure you are not held liable for any |
| and back of each card (since a wallet can easily go | | | | unauthorized charges. Your letter should also include |
| missing, you should do the same with important | | | | your name, the account number, the date and time you |
| documents such as social security cards). Store these | | | | noticed your card was missing and the date and time |
| photocopies in a safe place in your home so that if | | | | you contacted the credit card company. |
| you ever do lose your wallet, you will know exactly | | | | 4. Contact the three credit reporting agencies. |
| what went missing. | | | | In order to further protect yourself and your good |
| Now we will move to what you need to do if your | | | | credit, you will now need to be vigilant about what |
| credit card, bank card or ATM debit card disappears. | | | | takes place on your record. Your credit card company |
| The steps below should be taken as quickly as | | | | will close out your stolen card and issue a new one. |
| possible. | | | | Unfortunately, you don't know what other personal |
| 1. Assume it is gone for good. | | | | information of yours the perpetrator has. This is |
| When a single credit card goes missing, it is easy to | | | | especially true if your entire purse or wallet was stolen, |
| think you may have simply misplaced it and assume it | | | | and even more true if you're in the habit of storing |
| will eventually turn up. You should never let yourself fall | | | | passwords for accounts there. Call Equifax, Experian |
| into that assumption. While you are waiting and hoping | | | | and TransUnion to report the theft. Request that each |
| you will find your card, someone may be racking up | | | | bureau attach a fraud alert to your accounts. It's not a |
| thousands of dollars of credit in your good name. | | | | bad idea to sign up with a credit monitoring service for |
| 2. Report the lost or missing card. | | | | a few months after having your wallet or credit card |
| As soon as you realize that you do not have your | | | | stolen. |
| card, look for the issuing company's toll-free number. | | | | Having your card stolen can be very scary. Now that |
| Most credit card companies have specific phone lines | | | | you know what to do if it ever happens to you, you |
| to deal with this problem that are available 24 hours a | | | | are prepared to deal with the problem efficiently and |
| day. The toll-free number to call should be printed on | | | | expediently. |
| your most recent statement. If you are away from | | | | |