What happens if my wallet is lost or stolen while abroad?
- By
- Aparna Patel
- |
- 1 Aug, 2023
- |
Others have already addressed how to avoid loss of all cards and handle replacements of ones you do need to replace, but one really important ingredient is what you do in the mean time while you have no money. Having a purely electronic way to make payment can help with that part of the problem, at least when you’re in a location where you can find places to use it. This could include:
- having a PayPal account and knowing your password to it (but be careful not to access it from sketchy computers or change the password ASAP after you do).
- having memorized the number for a credit card you did not carry with you and did not lose (i.e. one you didn’t call to cancel after the loss/theft), so you can let merchants who are willing to trust you a bit enter it manually or use it online.
There are two main strategies:
- Avoid carrying at all. Many hotels have a safe in-room or have a secure storage near reception where they can keep valuable for you. Anything you do not expect to need with you for the day is good to leave there. This obviously creates a gap when you switch hotels or are between cities, so see the next option.
- Do not carry it in one place. At the simplest, put some cash in different pockets and I would do that with credit cards too. There are tons of other ways to keep money on your person: a money belt, shoe, hidden pocket, shoe, holsters, etc.
These are your best defense. If you get pick-pocketed, they will unlikely get it all. If you can robbed and asked to hand over everything or searched, they may get everything but it depends how creative you are.
In the unlikely event that it all gets taken from you, you must usually file a police report if you expect to make an insurance claim. Otherwise, call your credit card company or bank and ask for replacement cards. Depending on the type of card you have and if the bank has a local presence, you may get one in less than 24 hours and some even provide emergency cash as a service.
You can make this more easy by keeping relevant phone numbers and account info somewhere. One physical copy is nice to have but an online version can save you. Remember to have it in very secure server to avoid identity theft issues.
Where are you traveling? The ‘good’ thing is getting pickpocketed in most developed or developing areas is the same as getting pickpocketed at home…you lose the wallet and whatever is in it.
So, the same rules apply:
- Be careful
- Don’t carry more than you need
- Report any cards stolen immediately
- Keep a spare in a secure location
- Don’t carry any travel docs unless absolutely necessary
- Don’t risk getting hurt over any amount or money
if you have alternate cards, it may not be worth trying to get a replacement while traveling.
- Is there an app or website that evaluates individual hotel rooms?
- What/where is this large building with flags?
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘