7 things you should never carry in your wallet

Summary:

• Identity fraud and scams cost Americans $38 billion in 2025, affecting 36 million people, according to Javelin.

• Carrying sensitive items in your wallet increases your risk of identity theft and long-term financial harm. 

• Things you should never carry in your wallet include Social Security cards, a lot of cash or cards and password notes, which can all cause a major security issue. 

• Keep only what you need in your wallet and use digital tools to help protect your money, identity and peace of mind.

Every year millions of Americans see their money and personal information fall into the wrong hands, and the consequences can be devastating. In fact, Americans lost $38 billion in identity fraud and scams in 2025 with 36 million victims reported, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.

Knowing 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 aren’t 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 putting yourself at risk.

“Anything that’s convenient for you would be convenient for a thief,” says Michael Sullivan, a personal finance consultant at a nonprofit credit counseling and debt management agency. “You have to ask yourself what will be the most harmful,” he says. According to Bankrate, identity theft can have long-lasting effects, ranging from bad credit to bankruptcy.

To help keep your finances safe while you’re on the go, consider these seven things you should never carry in your wallet:

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.

Brian Meiggs, founder of a personal finance blog, 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, account number and routing number, which identifies your bank. These details could be used for fraud.

Even a check that’s already been filled out and used can still lead to a fake or unauthorized transaction, Meiggs warns.

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.

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 help stop impulse shopping. You won’t be tempted to use that store credit card if you don’t have it on you.

Think about the number of gift cards that can pile up—especially after the holidays or your birthday. “If you’re carrying a number of gift cards, you’re 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 you can easily access them from one central spot when you shop. Some retail stores also allow you to save gift card information on their apps or websites.

Next on the list of things you should never carry in your wallet: scraps of paper with sensitive information such as PINs and passwords. 

“Certainly carrying the PIN that goes with the debit card or even the credit card is downright foolhardy,” Sullivan says. “So you should never do that.”

Besides losing your cheat sheet, you then have to worry about thieves hacking into your online accounts if they have your passwords. Meiggs recommends storing your passwords and logins on a password manager website, where they’re encrypted—scrambled into a code that only you can unlock.

Answers to security questions, like the name of your first pet or your mother’s maiden name, should also stay out of your wallet, Jacob says. With that knowledge, thieves could try to hack into your accounts.

It may be nice to have cash available at all times, but extra cash is considered something to never keep in your wallet. Why? It can make you an attractive target for thieves. When you take out your wallet to make a purchase and sift through a lot of bills, a crook could be watching. Instead, carry a small amount of money for emergencies or small purchases.

Spare house keys are another item on the list of things to never keep in your wallet because they could be an invitation to crooks to steal more, Meiggs says. While you are searching for your missing wallet or filing a police report, thieves could be targeting your home. Keep your spare keys with a trusted friend or relative to avoid putting your property and family at risk.

Of course there are certain items you might want—and probably need—to carry in your wallet. But if you follow this list of things you should never carry in your wallet, it could help reduce your chances of identity theft and financial damage if you lose your wallet or have it stolen.

Here’s list of things you should never carry in your wallet:

• Social Security number (including your Social Security card or documents with the number) 

• Checks and deposit slips 

• Extra credit cards, especially store cards you rarely use

• Multiple gift cards 

• Password cheat sheets or written PINs and security answers 

• A lot of cash 

• Spare house keys

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