
Experts Warn Michiganders to NOT Carry These 9 Items in Their Wallets
Your wallet, like your phone, probably comes with you everywhere. And your wallet, also like your phone, likely carries a ton of personal information. It's very important to keep that information safe.
That being said, the easiest way to keep that information safe is to not have it in your wallet at all!
Michiganders should never carry certain things in their wallets. If anyone with nefarious purposes were to get ahold of your wallet and all of that personal information, it could be devastating.
Things Michiganders Should NOT Carry in Their Wallets
So, experts warn against carrying certain things in your wallet for all Michiganders.
Birth Certificate
By itself, a stolen birth certificate won't get someone far. But, it is a starting point to gathering more information that could give them the key to stealing your identity.
Blank Checks
Having blank checks in your wallet can lead to serious issues. Checks are full of a ton of personal information, including your name, address, banking institution, and routing and account numbers. Best leave those at home.
Extra Credit Cards
Nowadays, there are better security features for credit cards. However, they are still a treasure trove of information for identity thieves. There's no reason to have multiple credit cards on you; take one with you and leave the rest at home.
Medicare Card
If you have an old Medicare card that has your social security number on it, this should be replaced with a new issue one that doesn't.
Passport
Since a passport is an official form of government ID, it can be used as a tool against you and your finances.
Password Cheat Sheet
Yes, from banking to email and everything in between, we probably use dozens of passwords. And they all need to be intricate and secure, so it can be hard to remember them all. You might be tempted to go old school and write them down and keep them in your wallet. But, if someone gets your wallet, you've basically handed them the keys to stealing your identity.
Read Related: Burglars Will Check These 10 Hiding Spots First When Entering Your Michigan Home
Receipts
You might think your fast food receipt would be the least interesting thing in your wallet, but you'd be surprised what a well-seasoned criminal can get their hands on. All they need is the last five digits of your credit card and the merchant information, which is all on the receipt. From there they can phish to get the rest of the info they need to use your card.
Social Security Card
If your social security card were to fall into the wrong hands, someone could steal your identity and open up, and use, all manner of credit cards under your name.
Spare House Key
If someone has your wallet, they likely have your ID and home address. What's to stop them from using your spare key to enter your home and steal your valuables?
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