5 things you should never keep in your wallet

Years ago, while I was at a crowded outdoor market, someone reached into my purse and plucked my credit card and debit card from my wallet. I didn't even know they were missing until I got home and discovered a message on my answering machine from my card company, alerting me that there had been suspicious activity on my account.

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I quickly canceled my cards, contested the fraudulent charges and recovered — without a financial loss — from the incident. However, I consider myself fortunate. The situation might have been far worse if I'd been carrying other things in my wallet — items that could have created a financial nightmare for me if thieves had gotten their hands on them.

Although data breaches at major companies such as Anthem tend to grab headlines, more than 40 percent of identity fraud cases stem from a stolen or lost wallet or purse, according to insurance company Travelers' claim data. So, if you're carrying around these things in your wallet, you're likely putting your identity and finances at risk.

5 things you should never keep in your wallet:

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