Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
Subscribe
YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Five important financial decisions to make this January

Five important financial decisions to make this January

7 ways to slash your bills in the New Year

7 ways to slash your bills in the New Year

Study finds SA residents swear more than any other Australian

Study finds SA residents swear more than any other Australian

How you can help communities devastated by fires

How you can help communities devastated by fires

{headline}

{headline}

Bank with Commonwealth? You could be $50 richer today

Bank with Commonwealth? You could be $50 richer today

The key to happiness is simpler than you think

The key to happiness is simpler than you think

How to live a frugal life

How to live a frugal life

{headline}

{headline}

Take family game night to the next level with giant inflatable Twister

Take family game night to the next level with giant inflatable Twister

How to get your plane ticket refunded

How to get your plane ticket refunded

5 new ways to save money on your power bill

5 new ways to save money on your power bill

Study finds working overtime can increase your risk of stroke

Study finds working overtime can increase your risk of stroke

The inside of your wallet has more germs than a toilet

The inside of your wallet has more germs than a toilet

How to pick the cleanest stall in a public toilet

How to pick the cleanest stall in a public toilet

6 ways to solve your biggest financial worries

6 ways to solve your biggest financial worries

  1. Home
  2. News

What to do if your wallet is stolen

And what to do if you ‘misplaced’ it yourself. - by Laura Barry
  • 02 Aug 2019
What to do if your wallet is stolen

Nobody likes that creeping feeling of dread when, after rifling through your hand-bag, pockets and car, you still can’t find your wallet. Whether your cash-carrier was stolen by a sneaky thief, or you happen to have misplaced it somewhere yourself, the risks of a wallet going MIA are high. From cash being stolen and cards being fraudulently used, to your identity being stolen – losing your wallet is serious business.

But who bothers researching what to do in such a crisis? No one, until it happens to you. So, we’ve put together a handy guide to getting your life back together after losing a wallet.

stolen wallet
Getty

1. Accept you’ll never get your cash back

If you’re one of the few people who still carry cash, make peace with the fact that you’ll never get those notes back.

2. Cancel or block your debit and credit cards

This first thing you should do when you realise your wallet is missing is call your bank and either cancel or have a temporary block put on your cards. These days, most banks allow you to block or cancel a card via the banking app. This will prevent any would-be criminals from spending your hard-earned money.

3. Inform your bank

If you didn’t do this in step two, do so now. Call your bank and explain that your wallet has been lost or stolen, and you need to ensure that all bank cards are cancelled. Also ask your bank if you can add extra levels of security to your account, in case a scammer tries to call the bank and impersonate you. Also ask the bank if a fraud alert can be out on your account in case of any unauthorised transactions.

4. Call the police

While there’s not a whole lot the police can do about your wallet being stolen, it’s important to report the incident, log a formal report and get a reference number for the report, so you have proof of the lost wallet. This way, if your identity is stolen or your credit cards are used, you can prove it wasn’t you.

5. Call any government agencies to inform them of the lost wallet

It might seem like money is the biggest issue when a wallet is lost or stolen, but your Medicare card and driver’s licence are just as valuable to thieves and scammers. Notify your local Department of Transport office and have a new licence issued, call Medicare and do the same.

6. Make a list of all the cards in your wallet

From public transport cards to loyalty cards, library cards and memberships cards – it’s important to notify those businesses and have any cards with sensitive information cancelled and replaced to avoid anyone using your accounts or accessing private information.

7. Make a list of your subscription services

The downfall of losing your wallet is the trouble you have to go to working out which subscriptions were linked to which cards so you can enter the replacement card details into your Netflix, Spotify, Stan, Hulu, Apple, Amazon, etc. accounts.

8. Keep an eye out

For the next few weeks keep an eye on your bank accounts to ensure there isn’t any attempted breaches. Ditto for your email, phone account, MyGov account, Medicare, etc.

You might also like:

How your identity can be stolen in 10 minutes or less

The NBN scam you need to know about

5 ways to stop nuisance callers dialing your number

  • News
  • Finance
  • Better Life
Laura Barry
Laura Barry
Laura Barry is a writer, bookworm and interior design enthusiast with a love for reporting on all things homes, travel and lifestyle. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura can be found making endless cups of tea or perusing the shelves of Sydney’s many bookstores.

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Five important financial decisions to make this January

Five important financial decisions to make this January

7 ways to slash your bills in the New Year

7 ways to slash your bills in the New Year

Study finds SA residents swear more than any other Australian

Study finds SA residents swear more than any other Australian

How you can help communities devastated by fires

How you can help communities devastated by fires

{headline}

{headline}

Bank with Commonwealth? You could be $50 richer today

Bank with Commonwealth? You could be $50 richer today

The key to happiness is simpler than you think

The key to happiness is simpler than you think

How to live a frugal life

How to live a frugal life

{headline}

{headline}

Take family game night to the next level with giant inflatable Twister

Take family game night to the next level with giant inflatable Twister

How to get your plane ticket refunded

How to get your plane ticket refunded

5 new ways to save money on your power bill

5 new ways to save money on your power bill

Study finds working overtime can increase your risk of stroke

Study finds working overtime can increase your risk of stroke

The inside of your wallet has more germs than a toilet

The inside of your wallet has more germs than a toilet

How to pick the cleanest stall in a public toilet

How to pick the cleanest stall in a public toilet

6 ways to solve your biggest financial worries

6 ways to solve your biggest financial worries

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Shop This Offer
Get your mag delivered!