Stolen.

When I think back, I know exactly when the thieves took it. I was shopping with my mom in the bedroom furniture section of the showroom. I needed a new dresser. I was having a hard time deciding between two, so I thought, I would write the information down for both of them and then decide when I went to the marketplace section of the store.

I placed my purse at the front of the cart, opened it up and took a pen out. I wrote down the information then put the pen back in my purse and zipped it back up. That was all it took; in about 30 seconds the crooks had stolen my wallet.

I didn't know it was gone until I went to the checkout to pay. I knew, right then and there, it was stolen. My mom tried to convince me it wasn't and that it had just fallen out in the car somewhere. We went out to the car but, of course, it wasn't there.

In that short time, more than $900 was spent on my VISA card. I began cancelling credit cards as soon as I got in the car. I had two VISA cards. One was used at the store I was in, the other was used to rack up close to $3,000 at stores nearby.

But it's not the credit cards I care about. I had my driver's licence, health card, debit card, birth certificate and social insurance card in my wallet. Why did I have all that ID? No reason really. I knew I needed certain things but I now know you should never carry your birth certificate and SIN card. That's how identities are stolen. And, it's not easy to get these cards cancelled and replaced.

I reported the incident to police but it doesn't look like it's going to be a top-priority case. I can understand why.

If you have the misfortune of having your wallet stolen, here's some information that might help you.

Contact Phone Busters immediately at 1-888-495-8501 and tell them exactly what you had in your wallet. You will find out what steps you need to take by talking to an agent.

Then, I'd suggest you get things settled at the bank. I'm glad getting a new debit card was my first stop because there is a fee to replace most of the other cards.

But it's the time that will really cost you. I'm still on hold. Classical music plays while I wait to speak to an agent to cancel my birth certificate. I can't get a new SIN card without presenting a birth certificate. And so, I wait.