The most valuable things in your life are those that money cannot buy, like your health and your family. Material possessions are just things, but some are more painful to lose than others. Most of the time, it is more upsetting to lose something expensive, like a computer, than something cheap, like an umbrella, except when you factor in sentimental value. Losing a diamond ring you inherited from your grandmother feels like a loss, but so does losing a plastic ring you won at Chuck E. Cheese when your dad took you there on your 5th birthday. Of all the physical objects you can lose, though, the worst is probably an identifying document, such as a birth certificate, driver’s license, or passport. If you lose any of these documents, or if someone steals them, you are at increased risk of identity theft because it is easier for the person with the documents to impersonate you. While recovering from the loss of an identifying document is not as simple as canceling a stolen credit card, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from the worst-case scenario if you lose an identifying document.
Keep Copies of Identifying Documents
You should keep copies of your passport and driver’s license in a safe place at home. If you lose your driver’s license or passport while you are traveling, someone at home will have a copy of it, which will help you report the loss of the document. You should not carry your passport with you unless you are traveling internationally. With birth certificates, you can do even better than keeping a copy. You can get duplicate originals by going to the Office of Vital Records in person or ordering duplicates online or by phone.
Report the Loss of Documents Immediately
If your birth certificate, driver’s license, or passport gets stolen, you should file a police report immediately to report the theft. This way, if someone tries to impersonate you by using your documents, there is an official record that these documents have been reported stolen. If your passport gets lost, but you do not think it was stolen, contact the U.S. Department of State. The State Department has a lost passports hotline just for that purpose. If you lose your birth certificate, you should report it to the Department of Vital Records. Losing a driver’s license is not as much of an emergency as losing a passport or birth certificate, but you should still contact the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles as soon as possible.
Contact Madrid Law About Identity Theft
Having a paper trail is good protection against identity theft. If someone manages to steal your identity and commit crimes while impersonating you, though, you need a defense lawyer to clear your name. Contact Madrid Law in Houston for a consultation if you have been accused of identity theft or if your identifying documents have been compromised.
