You have probably seen the Capital One credit card commercial asking, ‘What’s in your wallet?’ But even if you aren’t interested in collecting extra travel miles, it is still a good question if you care about protecting yourself from identity theft.”
I wrote that 13 years ago, and times have certainly changed. I mean, do we really need a wallet? Everything seems to be digital. On your smartphone, you can upload your digital credit cards, your digital car keys, your digital airline tickets, your digital Starbucks card. And in 19 states, you can even upload your digital driver’s license to your smartphone.
But let’s say you don’t want anything to do with this digital phone stuff, and you just want to stick with your wallet. What are some steps to keep your information safe?
First, what you should NOT carry in your wallet.
• Social Security card.
• More than one or two credit cards.
• Checkbook or even one blank check — but there are times when I need a check!
• Passport or passport card. The U.S. State Department notes, “The U.S. passport is considered to be the most valuable identity document in the world.” You don’t want to lose it.
• Your PIN for your credit card or your list of passwords. I know it is hard to keep track of all those passwords and PINs, but don’t keep a “cheat sheet” in your wallet. (I save mine in my Notes app on my Smartphone.)
• Birth certificate — even if you could find it.
• Large amounts of cash in your wallet. But really, who has to worry about that anymore!
That is what you shouldn’t carry; now what should you carry in your wallet? You probably already know, but here are a few recommendations I have found.
• Driver’s license or ID
• Medicare card and Supplemental insurance card, or your Medicare Advantage card
• One, or two at most, credit cards
• A modest amount of cash
• A few important phone numbers written on paper
• An electronic tag which I have placed in my wallet, so when I misplace it, which I have and will again, I can find it using my smartphone.
In addition, many police departments and hospitals also recommend carrying an Emergency Medical Card that includes name, emergency contacts, blood type (if known), allergies, medical conditions, and current medications. (You can order blank and customize medical cards online.) You can place this card behind your driver’s license, where first responders are likely to find it.
One last suggestion: some consumer advocates advise making photocopies (or taking smartphone photos) of the front and back of all your cards, so you know whom to contact if they go missing.
Now that you know “what to” and “what not,” periodically go through your wallet and remove any sensitive personal information that would be valuable to an identity thief. Store those items in a safe place where you can find them later. The goal is to carry enough information for safety and convenience.
Knowing what you should keep in your wallet could save you time, aggravation, and money. You don’t want someone else flying around the world at your expense earning those Capital One travel miles!
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Brain Tease: Decode this Shirley MacLaine quote using a child’s secret language.
The amusement park ride where you operated a small electric car and tried to steer it into other cars was Bumper Cars. I received correct answers from Patricia Haupt, Bruce Johnson, Donna Mollet, Doug Nelson, Jay Waterbury, Judy Kiser, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Shelley Hinatsu, Craig Terry, Mike Monroe, and Rose Schulz, who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
And last week, while gagging on an expensive bottle of unflavored Perrier, I missed Stephen Woolpert, Donna Mollet, Rebecca Abrams, and Tina Castanares.
This game show first aired in 1962 but became a huge daytime sensation in the 1970s. For this week’s “Remember Question,” what was the name of the game show hosted by Gene Rayburn where the celebrity panel tried to write the same answer as the contestants to silly and suggestive fill-in-the-blank questions with often humorous results? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-980-4645, or send it with your fill-in-the-blank answer to, “Roy Rogers said, ‘I learned to yodel when I sat on a _____.’” (Next week I’ll include the answers you sent in.)
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Well, it’s been another week, fumbling from here to there or wherever. Until we meet again, don’t let the clouds keep you from smiling.
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Answer:
“It is useless to try to hold a person to anything he says while he is in love, drunk or running for office.”
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