Feds Warn Coloradans to Remove This From Your Wallet Immediately

Here in Colorado, theft is pretty common.

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We’ve actually been ranked as the #1 state for auto theft for two years in a row now. In terms of cities, Pueblo has the highest auto theft rate in the entire country, with 1,086 thefts per 100,000 people.

As it would turn out, Coloradans are also some of the most likely people in the United States to get scammed. 

In a Forbes ranking, Colorado came in 15th for most scammed states, and lost an astounding $187.6 million to scams in 2023 alone.

With all of this being said, there’s something that many Coloradans leave in their wallets that can put you at major risk if it gets out.

In fact, the federal government actually warns against it completely.

Feds Warn Coloradans to Keep Social Security Card Out of Wallet

To some people, this may seem completely obvious. However, there are many people who carry their Social Security cards in their wallets everywhere they go.

Here’s the thing; carrying your Social Security card in your wallet at all times is a pretty bad idea.

If it gets in the wrong hands, it is pretty much the easiest way for someone to steal your identity. 

The Social Security Administration also says it themselves:

“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.”

So not only is it extremely risky, but there really are no benefits to it in the first place.

Where Does Colorado Rank in Terms of Identity Theft?

When it comes to identity theft and fraud, Colorado actually doesn’t rank that highly. In a study done by WalletHub, Colorado ranked as the 33rd worst state for identity theft. 

They ranked each state on three criteria: identity theft rank, fraud rank, and policy rank, where Colorado placed 38th, 18th, and 19th respectively. 

The state at the highest risk of identity theft is Delaware, while Washington D.C. tops the list outright.

Colorado’s neighbor, Kansas, actually ranks as the safest state for identity theft and fraud.