Check Your Wallet

Do you periodically check your wallet or purse to review its contents? Other than some outdated photos and documents, you might be quite surprised to find expired or unused credit cards, many types of identification cards, expired insurance cards, and other types of membership cards which not only you don’t need to carry with you at all times but also provide valuable information about you and your private life if they are ever lost or stolen.

There are many other reasons why you should check your wallet periodically but primarily you want to check the contents of your purse or wallet to assess the contents, identify unneeded items, and reduce your identity theft risks by removing, discarding or storing away some of the items. You need to be aware of your wallet contents just in case you need to immediately notify the appropriate parties if you lose your items. The last thing you want to worry about when you lose your personal items is to recall which items were in your wallet and who you need to call.

The Identity KAOS principles and Identity Diet suggest knowing what types of information which you possess can lead to identity theft if they fall into the wrong hands. For example, a person who owns ten credit cards is more exposed to identity theft risks than a person who owns just one or two credit cards. People who own more identity components such as multiple credit cards and online accounts and frequently share their personal information with others exponentially increase their identity theft risks each and every time they collect or share one more piece of personal information.

The Identity Diet program as its name suggests recommends reducing the number of identity components people possess as well as their unnecessary exposure to identity theft risks such as carrying unneeded personal items in your wallet, briefcase, computer bag or car.

Take your time right now and review the personal items you carry with you. Remove the unneeded and expired items, store the unneeded items in a secure location at home or office and securely discard the expired and useless items which can still cause trouble for you if they are lost or stolen. To securely discard your personal items, shred, burn, or mix your items with rotten foods to the extent that they are no longer useful to identity thieves.

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