There is a certain kind of dread that comes over you when you realize your wallet or purse has been stolen. All of your cash is gone, not to mention your credit cards, driver’s license, and other pieces of your identity. It could take days to replace everything and you can forget about the cash.

Believe it or not, your first goal should be to report your stolen driver’s license. It may seem less drastic than losing, for example, your social security card, but your address, driver’s license number, and full name can be very helpful information to anyone trying to steal your identity.

How to Report a Stolen Driver’s License

Even if you aren’t totally sure if you’ve lost your driver’s license, you should report it as soon as possible. It won’t be some huge burden on the police if it turns out that you didn’t lose it after all.

So, call your local law enforcement department. Depending on the situation, they may or may not be able to help recover your license, but promptly making a police report will be very beneficial to you later if someone tries to steal your identity. That’s because the police will have a record of exactly when you lost it.

Even if you didn’t lose your debit or credit cards, you should also call your bank and let them know what happened. They can then put an alert on your account to monitor it more closely for suspicious activity, so if someone tries to steal money from you, they will be able to stop any unauthorized transactions.

How to Replace a Stolen Driver’s License

In the United States, you probably won’t be able to order a replacement driver’s license online. You’ll need to go to the DMV or driver’s license office in person with some other form of identification. A birth certificate or social security card will usually suffice.

Some states have periods of varying length in which you can renew your driver’s license before it expires. If you’re in that period, you should probably just go ahead and renew it. The process is different (and a little more in-depth) than simply getting a replacement, so you need to check with your local DMV to see what you need to do.

How to Protect Against Identity Theft

If your purse or wallet has been stolen, it’s probably got you thinking about other types of crime. We’re talking about identity theft and it’s more common than ever before. Did you know that all a cybercriminal needs to steal your identity is your name and address?

You need to stop cybercrime before it happens and that’s why identity protection monitoring is so important. The best identity protection companies will automatically keep an eye out for fraudulent uses of your name, address, social security number, and driver’s license number. Talk about peace of mind!