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What shouldn't you carry in your wallet?

7 things you should never carry in your wallet Social Security number. ... Checks. ... Numerous credit cards. ... Multiple gift cards. ... Password cheat sheets. ... Excess cash. ... Spare keys.

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Every year millions of Americans see their money and personal information fall into the wrong hands, and the consequences can be devastating. In fact, an identity fraud study by Javelin Strategy & Research found that 16.7 million victims of identity fraud lost a total of $16.8 billion in 2017. Identifying the things to never keep in your wallet is the first line of defense against theft and fraud. And let’s face it—when was the last time you reviewed the items in your wallet and cleaned out those that are not totally necessary? If you’re carrying around sensitive items in your wallet on the off chance you might need them one day, you could be asking for trouble. “Anything that’s convenient for you would be convenient for a thief,” says Michael Sullivan, a personal finance consultant at the nonprofit Take Charge America, a national credit counseling and debt management agency based in Phoenix. “You have to ask yourself what will be the most harmful,” he says. “The most harmful things in your wallet are things that have long-term costs.” According to a study by the Identity Theft Resource Center, identity theft can have long-lasting ramifications for its victims, ranging from bad credit to bankruptcy. To safeguard your finances while you’re on the go, consider these seven things you should never carry in your wallet:

1. Social Security number

Sullivan says your Social Security card and any identification or documents that include your Social Security number are perfect examples of what not to keep in your wallet. Those nine digits could make it easier for a fraudster to open loans or credit card accounts in your name. A crook could also use your Social Security number to file a tax return and claim a refund.

2. Checks

Brian Meiggs, founder of the personal finance blog My Millennial Guide, says checks and deposit slips are on the list of things to never keep in your wallet. These items may have more information on them than you think, including your name, address, bank name, routing number and account number. These details could be used nefariously if obtained by a fraudster. “Even if it’s a check that’s already been filled out and used, that can still lead to a fraudulent transaction,” Meiggs says.

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3. Numerous credit cards

As you figure out what not to keep in your wallet, consider that less could be more when it comes to the number of credit cards you carry. “Do you need to carry that department store card with you all the time? No, only when you plan to go to that store,” says Linda Jacob, a certified financial planner and accredited financial counselor with Consumer Credit of Des Moines in Iowa. If you’re trying to avoid the things you should never carry in your wallet, Jacob recommends having just one credit card and debit card on you at any given time. Bonus: This practice could also be a great way to curb impulse shopping and a tip to living a frugal life. You won’t be tempted to use that store credit card if you don’t have it on you.

4. Multiple gift cards

If you’re considering what not to keep in your wallet, think about the number of gift cards that can pile up—especially after the holidays or your birthday—and that you may tote around out of habit. “If you’re carrying a number of gift cards, you are basically risking giving the value of those cards away if you happen to lose your wallet,” Sullivan says. To strike this item off the checklist of things to never keep in your wallet, consider using a gift card app. With some of these apps, you can scan and upload gift cards to a digital wallet so that when you shop they can be conveniently accessed from one central spot. Some retail stores also allow you to save gift card information on their apps or websites after logging in, so when you’re ready to make a purchase you can retrieve the gift card for checkout.

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