Steps To Take If Your Purse Is Stolen
Having your purse stolen is a horrible experience-- not only do you probably feel violated, you will probably also worry about the fact that the thief has your cell phone, keys, and wallet with you credit card, debit card, and drivers license that has your personal information. After your purse is stolen, it is important to act fast. Use the following tips to ensure that a stolen purse does not wreak havoc in your life:
Cancel Your Credit and Debit Cards
The last thing you want is for a thief to run up a bill on your credit card or use your debit card fraudulently. Immediately contact your financial institutions to cancel your cards. Depending on the amount of credit and debit cards you may have you may be on the phone for a while, but it will be worth it if you can prevent your card being used fraudulently.
File a Police Report
In many cases, the police are not able to recover a stolen purse, and if they do, most valuables will be gone. But it is important to file a police report-- the financial institution that you have credit cards or debit cards through may require one in order for you to get reimbursed in the event of fraud before you cancel your cards. Keep your police report on hand until all financial issues are resolved.
Contact a Locksmith
If a thief has a set of your keys, it is essential to contact a locksmith as soon as possible. When a thief takes your purse, there is a good chance that he or she will have access to your name and home address by looking at your drivers license. For your protection, it is a good idea to have all of the locks in your home re-keyed. This will ensure that a thief will never have access to your home. After having your keys stolen while they were in your purse, avoid leaving an extra key outside, no matter how well you think it is hidden.
Re-Key Your Mailbox
While you have a locksmith re-keying the locks on your home, consider having your mailbox re-keyed as well. If a purse thief has access to you mailbox, he or she can steal you identity and cause a lot of problems. If you really want to protect yourself, getting you mailbox lock re-keyed is one of the best things to do.