A lost-wallet checklist for summer travelers

Bad weather, delayed flights, a stomach bug - of all the annoyances that can derail your summer vacation, a lost or stolen wallet has to rank toward the top of the list in terms of inconvenience. But while you'll recover from that virus and the sun will come out (eventually), losing your wallet and all the personal identifying information in it can have disastrous and long-term consequences.

"Your wallet is like a miniature directory of your identity," says Jennifer Leuer, senior vice president of Experian Consumer Direct, which owns ProtectMyID. "If you lose it, or it's stolen while you're on vacation, the impact on your life can last long after the vacation is over, especially if the personal information in your wallet falls into the hands of identity thieves."

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing types of crime in the United States, and most of it occurs in traditional ways, including a lost or stolen wallet. Even if you're a cautious traveler, sometimes the unthinkable happens and your wallet disappears from your possession. If that happens, responding quickly with a pre-planned checklist of what to do can help minimize your risk of becoming an identity theft victim.

The identity theft prevention experts at ProtectMyID offer this lost wallet checklist.

Before you go:

* Remove from your wallet any cards you don't need. Only carry the credit card you will use on your trip. Since you'll be on vacation, you can leave at home your wholesale club membership card or your library card. You won't need them, but a clever identity thief could use the information on them. Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet.

* Write down in a notebook all the information from the front and back of your credit and debit cards, driver's license, medical insurance card and other important cards. Keep the list in a secure place at home.

If the worst happens:

* Call credit and debit card issuers, your medical insurance company and your state driver's license bureau immediately when you realize your wallet has been lost or stolen. Ask for new account or identification numbers and verify that the old numbers are no longer active.

* File a police report with local law enforcement where you're vacationing. If identity thieves do use your information, having a police report of the lost or stolen wallet will help establish credibility. Get a copy of the report for your personal records. It may come in handy later if you need to challenge fraudulent charges or activity on your accounts.

* Notify the credit bureaus and ask for fraud alerts on your account. This can help prevent thieves from using your information by notifying you when someone tries to open a new account in your name.

In the aftermath

* Monitor your accounts. You may need to keep a watchful eye for several months. Review each account statement carefully, looking for purchases, transactions or services you didn't authorize or receive. If you suspect fraud, call the number on your statement immediately.

* Consider a protection product like ProtectMyID that can help you detect identity theft, protect against it and resolve the situation if you're a victim while you're enrolled. It works by monitoring for more than 50 indicators of fraud daily, performing daily Internet scans for your personal information, and alerting you when key changes occur.

"Travelers should take preventative steps to minimize their exposure in case their wallet is lost or stolen," Leuer says. "Acting quickly if loss occurs can help reduce the risk of identity theft."