Don’t Carry Blank Checks in Your Wallet
We think this practice is slowly getting phased out but we thought we should include it on our list, particularly for the benefit of older folks that still like using checks.
Who here remembers our parents telling us to carry blank checks with us at all times, just in case? We’re sure they gave us this advice with best intentions in mind but it could come back to bite us nowadays.
First and foremost, thieves could use your check to drain money from your bank account. But this is the least of your worries depending on the information on said checks. First of all, they’ll find your bank account and routing numbers, meaning that criminals will be able to make electronic withdrawals from your account.
Some checks also have your address and Social Security numbers on them, making them a treasure trove for shady individuals.
4 thoughts on “6 Dangerous Things in Your Wallet Right Now That Could Ruin Your Life”
I am a novice at this traveling thing. I hear a lot about the Cloud. Would you explain what it is and how do I use it? Furthermore, is the cloud the only use for traveling? I am thinking of taking a vacation with my husband come spring. Please help me figure out what the cloud is and what keeps others from accessing it. I would like to be able to have it figured out before I go on vacation. Please help. Cheers Sarah
My sister di that. She stored everything on cloud, then when we were away on vacay, she tried to access her cloud. It wanted to charge her for everything she was downloading. Being charged for her own stuff, thaks crazy. that was a while ago so I don’t know if the cloud is diferent now and that ws when it first came out.
The cloud is just somebody else’s computer, but given a friendly fluffy name. All Computers can be hacked. Haven’t you noticed all the ransomware being used to make big companies pay $$$$ nowadays?
Agreed 100%. I recently lost my wallet in Vegas. After reporting the loss to the police, I received a follow up phone call from a detective of the police department. We discussed almost exactly the same contents as covered in this article, except the hard copy credit card receipts from the stores. A very interesting perspective from the detective: most lost wallets/purses are picked up by everyday common folks. Even if they aren’t model citizens who would turnthe wallet into the police, or, just drop off into a mail box, they lack the sophistication to venture into the more serious crimes of identity thefts.
That said, still, it’s best to be vigilant to make all the defensive moves after the loss — the sooner the better. One of my best moves after discovery of the loss of my wallet was to remotely turn off my credit cards via the phone apps within minutes. That headed off at least 3 attempts of unauthorized online use of my bank debit card. So, make sure you know how to activate/deactivate your credit/debit cards with your phone. It should be an available feature in your phone app. Walk in to your bank to ask for help if you are not computer savvy enough to figure it out yourself.