Know what to do if your purse or wallet is stolen

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when faced with the possibility of having your purse stolen? Maybe it’s going out in search of it, as the criminal may have taken the money and thrown the rest away. But that’s wrong, because while we’re looking for the purse, our money may be being withdrawn from our account or our driver’s license being used to rent a car.

We hope no one goes through such a situation, but it is better to be prepared and know what to do after your purse or wallet is stolen.

O awesome.club investigated what are the first steps you should take in these cases and what can happen if you don’t take the right measures in time.

What to do? Report to the police as soon as possible after realizing the passport is missing. Generally, when filing a police report, you will receive a document informing you that, from that moment on, the lost passport is no longer valid. Which means that no one will be able to use your document for their own gain.

Most Brazilian states, such as São Paulo, allow the registration of thefts to be done electronically, on the Civil Police website.

What are the dangers? ÇWith a stolen document in hand, perpetrators can:

buy a cell phone chip and use it for fraudulent purposes, since in some countries, companies require some personal data for the sale of the object; take out a loan, change the property registry; open a bank account for money laundering purposes; use the passport to cross the border illegally.

If you do not report the loss of your passport, it will be difficult to prove that you had nothing to do with any crimes committed with it. The incident report will inform the data about the theft or loss of the document. Another good reason to go to the police in such a situation is that, in some countries, you can be fined if you reside without a passport.

What to do? Immediately after noticing the disappearance of your card, call the bank and block it. If you need to ask for a new one, look for a bank branch with your documents. If the documents were also stolen, take a copy of the police report.

What are the dangers? It is not worth postponing the blocking of your bank card. The criminal can:

withdraw money at the nearest ATM, if the password is kept in the wallet or written directly on the card; pay for purchases with the stolen card, even without knowing your password. After all, he will have the card number, expiration date, first and last name of the holder and the security code; use the full credit limit available to your account; use your account to receive money obtained from illegal activities.

In supermarkets, the criminal will probably not be able to spend more than a certain amount if he does not have the password. For example, in several countries, the limit depends on the payment system: in the case of Visa payWave, this limit is 100 dollars.

However, in virtual stores, there is not always verification by phone number or similar. Therefore, there is a risk that you will only find out how much damage was when you receive an SMS or pull a statement from your bank account.

What to do? Go to a Detran station and ask for a second life. The perpetrator will not be able to use his document, as it will appear in the system that it is no longer valid. As soon as you ask for the duplicate, the previous one will be prohibited, even if you recover the document.

What are the dangers? O The criminal can use your driver’s license or the data contained therein to:

avoid traffic fines; make a false identity and use it to commit crimes. He will be able, for example, to cross the border even if he is prohibited from leaving the country; renting a car, causing an accident or using the vehicle for any illegal activity; impersonate you in cases where the CNH is sufficient to confirm identity; gather more information about you and continue to have access to your bank accounts; getting money from your relatives or friends by fraudulent means; apply for a job that requires driving skills (for example, in cases where the criminal has a suspended license).

Precautionary Measures:

If you have the chance, buy a bag or wallet in bright shades. This does not mean that you need to change your entire wardrobe, it’s just that black bags are stolen more often: they go unnoticed and it’s easier to get away with them. Do not keep the password written down on your card or wallet, however obvious this may seem. Set a daily limit for the amount of operations with your card. For online purchases, make a separate card. If you’re always carrying your documents or laptop, hang a Bluetooth keychain on your bag. The object will sound an alarm if the bag is taken a certain distance.

Keep your cell phone or computer purchase documents, even if the warranty has expired. If the device is stolen, the police will be able to find it by the serial number, while the invoice will confirm the amount of damage. On your cell phone or computer, use a Google, Microsoft or iCloud account, so that you can track the movement made with the device. Get an additional card and take it with you. It must be linked to your main account and, in case of loss, it can be easily blocked. The main card will remain in your possession, and you will not have to wait until a new one is issued. When visiting public places, it is best to keep important belongings close to your body (driver’s license, credit card, passport, identity card). If you don’t have pockets, bet on one money belt🇧🇷

Have you ever lost your documents? How did you react? Leave your comment!