My Passport Was Stolen Today
 

I came home from a lovely afternoon off to find my house had been broken in to and completely ransacked. Drawers, closets, decorative trunks and suitcases...everything looked like it had been gone through.

They took some cash and some jewelry, but left computers, ipod, cell phones, cameras, etc.

They found my little lucky fanny pack that I've traveled with forever and unpacked all the stuff in it onto the kitchen counter....my readers, my gum, my Kleenex, etc.

But they took the fanny pack and the Passport.

I have made a police report which documents the stolen passport. What is my next step? What can the thief do with my passport? Am I'm going to be one of those identity theft statistics?

Has anyone gone through something like this? All advice is welcome...I'm a freaked out mess right now.:(

So sorry to hear, Flyin'Mom. Having your house broken into really makes one feel violated. :td: :(

DevilDog438 has the answer as far as the Passport.

I wonder why the thief left the iPod, cameras, and etc. :confused:

I had my passport stolen, along with a lot of other stuff, a few years ago. Notify the passport office and get yourself a replacement. I had no identity theft problems, except that the thief, unsuccessfully, tried to get a credit card from my bank (my checkbook was also stolen, so he had my account number). The bank wouldn't issue it to him, and that was the end of things. It is a good idea, however, to monitor your credit reports with the three credit reporting agencies. They'll each give you a free report once a year, but even purchasing one isn't that expensive -- just a few dollars.

And the genuine site for the consolidated free credit reports is AnnualCreditReport.com

Sorry to hear about your problem:( Fortunately, you'll have your new passport before you know it. Fortunately as to identity theft, the likelihood of that occurring is quite low. Your SSN is not on the passport, nor is your home address (unless you filled it in yourself after you received the pp). Your birthdate and state of birth are listed, but the city (sometimes used as a security question) is not.

However, it certainly couldn't hurt to put file a fraud alert with the various credit-reporting companies.

Thank you DevilDog438 and Birdstrike. The repairman is here to replace the door glass that was broken and I'm starting to really break down myself.

I had to wait 2 1/4 hours for the police to show up for me to make the report and I kept trying to figure out what was missing while I was waiting.

So much stuff was just out there in plain view, but they had to go through drawers to find my little stash of mad money cash and for the life of me I don't remember where I had the fanny pack. Probably in my rollaboard which is always out on the luggage rack in my bedroom.

I'd say this sounds like someone who knows me....except with my crazy work schedule I don't really know anyone around here anymore.

I'm freaking out wondering what they are going to try to do with the passport. It doesn't have enough info on it for them to open checking accounts or get credit cards, does it?

I'm supposed to go to Scotland the end of June for a trade show. I wonder if there is anyway to get a new passport by then?

A passport doesn't have sufficient information for them to get credit in your name.

I got mine in 3 days, and it would have been faster if I needed it sooner.

I was robbed years ago the time I opted to do a driving trip from NY to FL and had just arrived. Nothing like having to immediately return and seeing your home ransacked. The police had dusted all over looking for finger prints so what a mess. Just make sure that you indeed have all your checks sometimes they will take one out mid pack to get the account number. I put a stop payment on all of mine I hadn't sent out just in case.

It also takes awhile to feel safe again. Glass is really easy to break.

I did check the drawer where I keep checks and they seem to all be there. I'd better go back and double check the number sequence.

Thank you. I am just so rattled at the moment my imagination is running wild with what they could do. I think it is wondering why did they take that and leave behind the laptop and iPod and so on that is driving me nuts right now.

I thought there was a huge backlog of applications and that it was taking a long time to get a new passport. Do they expedite it if it was stolen?

I am so freaked out right now. I feel terribly vulnerable and not safe at all.

My big old hound dog was apparently scared silly and didn't do a thing. I found him <thankfully he was safe!> on my bed and there was a huge wet spot where he had been panting and drooling. What a guard dog I have!

Remind yourself that a thief really doesn't want to break in while your home so you are safe. There are lots of things you can do to make your house look like someone is there so I got timers for my lights and radio and had my cat-sitter move the drapes each day. Remember that mom's have to deal with lots of problems in life and coping with adversity is something we are good at.

I think you can also put a credit hold with the reporting agencies. It would require your personal authorization to release credit information and lasts a year if I recall. My wife had to do that when someone compromised the payroll system.

Remember, it was only stuff, and the overwhelming probability is that the thief has moved on.

My house was broken into right BEFORE we moved in! We had a few things there (some new dress shirts, some cds) so the creeps got practically NOTHING for their trouble!

My best thoughts for you, you will be fine.

Mine was stolen before the passport crunch. However, the passport office has a procedure in place for expedited replacement. I had to show an itinerary with an imminent departure, but I simply asked my travel agent to send me one -- I didn't actually purchase tickets. The itinerary was all that was needed.

Flyin'Mom from one Dallasite to another I am so sorry to hear of this. I can't imagine what you are experiencing and feeling. Glad you weren't home at the time and that your dog was safe.

Sorry to hear of your loss. I have never had one stolen but have had to have a replacement issued due to fire damage. The circumstances were different and I was forced to go through the procedure of filing for a new one.

I always recommend making photo copies of your passport. It can be a real nightmare if it is ever lost/stolen in a foreign country. A photo copy can help establish your identity and citizenship. It's certainly better than nothing, especially if all of your documents are gone.