Authorities Urge Michigan Residents to Remove Item From Wallet

Removing this item could save you a lifetime of hassle.

If you've ever had your bank information hacked or your identity stolen this is a lesson you've already learned.

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And if you haven't? Count your blessings. This is exactly why authorities are urging residents in Michigan and nationwide to remove this highly sensitive data from your wallet before it costs you time, worry, and worst of all, money.

What's In Your Wallet?

If you're like most Michiganders you probably have your entire life in your wallet: bank cards, government I.D./driver's license, insurance cards, business cards, and maybe even some family photos.

Just imagine if all of that got into the wrong hands; how much would a criminal be able to learn about your life based on your wallet alone?

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Now, imagine if you had your social security card in there. That's enough to information to go off of to open a new line of credit in your name-- right? Who can afford to have their identity stolen in this economy?!

Here's what Social Security officials are advising against:

We encourage you not to carry your Social Security card with you every day. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required, which is rare. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. In 49 states and the District of Columbia, a Social Security card isn’t required to request a Real ID. Only Pennsylvania requires it.

This warning includes any document that may also include your number on it. Find out how to protect your privacy and how to report identity theft here.