Cancel all of your credit cards immediately....prepare in advance by having all of the toll-free numbers and your credit card numbers handy so you know who and where to call.

File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where the wallet was lost or stolen.

Call the three national credit reporting agencies immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and social security number.

The credit reporting agencies and the phone number to report lost or stolen information, followed by the number for requesting a credit report, are as follows:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 (www.equifax.com) For credit report: 1-800-997-2493

Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (www.experian.com) For credit report: 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 (www.tuc.com) For credit report: 1-800-916-8800

Social Security fraud line: 1-800-269-0271

Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline: 1-877-438-4338

Tips to prevent being a victim of identity theft:

DO NOT give personal information over the phone, internet, or through the mail unless you know exactly with whom you are dealing.

DO NOT give your mother's maiden name when asked, instead, give your grandmother's maiden name. Your mom's maiden name is becoming familiar to a lot of organizations.

DO NOT use your birth date or parts of your social security number for passwords.

DO NOT carry your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport with you unless you are going to need it that day. Also, try to minimize the number of credit cards you carry with you.

DO NOT allow store clerks to put your Social Security number on your check. Ask them to use either your driver's license or another available number instead.

DO place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Copy both sides of your license and credit cards so you have all the account numbers, expiration dates and phone numbers if your wallet or purse is stolen.

DO order a credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies at least once a year to check for inconsistencies in your report. Their numbers are listed above.

DO shred unsolicited mail, especially those for credit cards.

For more info visit: www.consumer.gov Then click on Identity Theft in right column.