NEVER thought it would happen to me but my pocketbook got picked

Signup for identity protection through Experian on the internet for Identity protection and monitoring http://www.experian.com/consumer-products/identity-theft-protection.html GOOD LUCK!

oh my gosh, how horrible. Even worse when it's in a place you're comfortable by someone you might actually know. At least with a pickpocket or gypsy, it's not a personal thing against you, they just want your money. So sorry that happened to you and I hope you get everything squared away quickly! The only thing I really wanted to offer was that your passport card isn't really a big deal to lose, as it won't help you for international travel to Europe anyway. I don't think immigration (passport control) would have anything to do with you filing an identity theft. if you file it NOW, it will prevent anyone from getting a passport, credit card, loan, whatever, in your name/SSN. I would think that waiting would be the potentially bigger problem that could affect you well beyond your vacation. Your credit/debit cards in Europe should still work if you call the banks a couple days before you leave. they will verify it's you, which might be a little harder considering everything, but they should still be able to make sure the cards will work. you can even tell them what happened and have them double and triple and quadruple check that you will be able to use your cards in Europe (not a bad thing for anyone to do since the banks tend to mess up a lot anyway it seems). Best of luck Elaine! Hopefully by the time you leave for Germany, it will just be something you can have a laugh about.

Maybe others will learn to not bring that much valuable stuff to work. I never do. Just my drivers license. I dont need anything else!

I hate to say it, but sometimes when you should be in a "theft-proof" situation, theft still happens. We had the unfortunate task in my college sorority of asking not one, but two girls to leave after having been caught stealing from other girls. One even went on a very expensive shopping spree with a card stolen from another girl (since the owner of the card only had it for emergencies, she did not even know her card had been taken until the bill came). I think the violation of trust is worse than the actual theft. Sorry this happened to you.

I wish I could help with your question! In fact, I'm interested in knowing the answer myself. Your story serves as a good reminder that just because European cities are "foreign", it doesn't mean they are more filled with thieves/pickpockets than here. It can happen anywhere. And at home, we are probably more complacent and less aware than while we are traveling. Apparently unlike Tami, most of us need a source of money during the day, so some of that stuff needs to be with you. It's just unfortunate that it needs to be secured in a place that you trusted it to be relatively safe.

Elaine, it wouldn't be considered an identity theft until someone actually uses your information to obtain goods, services, or cash. Have you checked your credit report? You should obtain a copy of your credit report and look for any suspicious activity. You should also call one of the three major credit reporting agencies and put a 90 day fraud alert on your credit. Putting a fraud alert on your credit will not affect your travel. Just be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies, as usual, and let them know the dates you will be travelling.

This is a good reminder that just because you feel at home in your work surroundings does not mean your things are as safe as at home. Maybe it's because I've spent so much time working in restaurants, where there is a wide variety of employees coming and going, but I would never leave valuables at work in an unlocked place.....Elaine, I assume you're firmly in the moneybelt camp while traveling?? What a terrible hassle to go through on vacation......And the worst thing is, someone in your office is a thief. You will forever be wondering who it was, and most of those people are innocent. The thief also robbed the innocent of their good reputation.

Elaine - I was at risk for identity theft a few years ago when someone hacked into the computer system at my college and had access to many names, addresses, SS numbers, etc. I set up an account with Experian (at a reduced cost, through the college) and they monitor my credit cards monthly. When I travel, either domestically or internationally, I call my credit card companies and tell them my itinerary (dates and cities/countries) and they make a note of it. I have never had a problem with my passport or using my credit cards/ATM card in Europe.

Thanks for all the good advice. I am so glad, that if this had to happen, it didn't happen just a few days before I'm due to leave - don't know what I'd do then without that debit card. I thinhk I will sign up with Experian as soon as I get a debit card number they can auto-bill the charges to. The police investigator is the person who told me to file it as an identity theft mostly because of the passport card. There were no charges on any of the credit cards or debit card when I closed them. Still too early on the checks. Every day I find out other little things I have to clear up, Payroll won't switch my direct deposit with just a starter check so I have to wait until my new checks arrive - which of course will be after the deadline to make a change for the next payperiod....so they'll wait till they get a reject from the bank..only THEN will they cut and MAIL me a live check. It's almost nonsensical......and annoying....but hey, you just have to roll with it. Yes I'll be using a money belt on the planes and trains and streets; on the cruise I'll have everything in the safe at all times. Lessons learned: 1. only carry the credit cards and checks/cash I need for the day in the wallet 2. If I'm not going to someplace like Canada that day, leave the passport card at home 3. All I really need to take into the office each day is a $10 bill and the car key. The wallet will be locked (& hidden)in the car trunk.

To bring the discussion back to the subjects of the board, imagine if, indeed, you were in Paris or Prague? The difficulty in first reporting lost credit and debit cards, then trying to find replacements to get cash to pay your expenses, let alone your passport or possibly even non-refundable railpasses is certainly aconcern........This is one example, when people advise you need not take any additional precautions while travelling versus being at home, that I say it is a bigger deal to be in this situation abroad. At least at home I do not worry about where I will sleep, I probably have enough to eat, a car to drive, and I can go to my bank in person to get cash or even write checks for bills and other expenses. The bottom line is, when travelling, take those extra precautions, and augment them with the tactic of dividing your assets (some cards here, some cash there, not everything together, even in a moneybelt). You really do not want to spend days out of a trip dealing with theft recovery.

Can someone explain what a passport card is? I have a passport and traveled abroad recently, but have never heard of a passport card. And thanks for posting this, Elaine. It's a heads up to those of us who are careless in our familiar surroundings.

The passport card is a separate form of passport now offered as sort of a passport "lite". It is only valid for land travel, mostly for people that pass into and out of Canada and Mexico frequently. For Europe, you still need the traditional passport, but a passport card would still be a valid ID, maybe easier to carry or a good back-up. When you get a passport, you have the option to get a card at an additional price.

The passport card is really convenient. I got it for two purposes: for travel back to Canada or Caribbean cruises, and for day trips and excursions in Europe when I leave the passport book in the room safe, and keep the passport card with me, in case I should need some form of ID. Andrea, it's the size of a credit card or your DL. It was only $35 when I got mine but went up to $55 last month. Definitely worth it for cruising in the Caribbean or Mexico and Canada.

Hi Elaine, I would recommend against using a debit card to book airline tickets. A few years ago, I bought tickets to Maui on ATA airline using my visa credit card. When ATA ceased to exist one night, I had my money refunded the next day. Had I used my debit card, the money would have been debited from my checking account, and the man at VISA said I would have probably been out of luck. I always use a credit card instead of a debit card for any internet transactions.

The first thing to do is close any account you had in your wallet. Open new accounts to replace them. Be sure to restart any automatic payments withdrawals you had. From there you have to decide what consumer protection options you want (such as filing identity theft or closing your credit report - based on state law).................. IMO none of them help catch the bad guy or do much for you other than, hopefully, limiting the amount of work you have to do to clean things up................With luck the person who took your wallet only used the money and trashed the rest. Unfortunately, even petty criminals are learning how to sell your other stuff to id theft rings for more cash.

Elaine, That is nuts about your payroll department. I do payroll for my company and if you worked here, we would have canceled your direct deposit immediately upon your request and would put in your new direct deposit account with just the routing number and your new account number. Granted you would be getting live checks for 2 to 3 weeks while the 3rd party payroll company did their dance with the bank, but there wouldn't be this silliness about waiting for a check to be rejected before you got a manual check. I'm not sure that is even legal in some states. Payday laws address this. You might want to look it up for SC.

Thanks y'all for continuing with the good advice. Charlie - I booked Lufthansa tonight on one of my new account CREDIT cards. Brad - I'm still working those on auto-draft accounts [INVALID]s - I had EVERY account on auto pay. Nancy - My bank reassured me they would automatically transfer my direct deposit paycheck into my new account, after a one day delay since it would take two cycles - day 1 reject/day 2 load to new account. So I won't see $$ in account balance until Sat AM instead of Friday AM - I can live with that. I just heard another horror story from a neighbour getting nicked in Scotland - but I'll post that later.

Well, when I travel I follow all of the "usual" advice such as putting small sums in different pockets, using a money belt, leaving emergency cash in the hotel etc. I have had a backpack "explored" (while I had it on no less!) and it is no fun. Regarding your OP, first, if you report your credit card lost right away you usually just have to fill out papers and are not liable for charges. (At least I wasn't.) Second, there are identity theft services which are probably great, however, I am somewhat cheap...so I set up notifications on my cards. With most of my cards, any charge over $25 gets me an e-mail notice....I then go check my card. But you can set it to any amount, I just use $25. Third, I do the same protection here (at home) as I do when traveling, I only take one credit and one debit card with me. I use a different card for internet purchases and a different card when I travel. As checks are rarely accepted I don't carry them and take no more than $40 (usually less) in cash. I never, ever carry my social security number in my wallet. Hope this helps. While it is a pain, identity theft does occur and most institutions are pretty good about helping you..... it just takes time. Good luck.