Nothing is worse than dealing with a stolen credit card when you are traveling—I’ve never experienced it personally, but a few travelers I know have gone through this problem on the road and it has turned out to be a huge ordeal. You can spend an entire day trying to deal with having no funds and it can require much more than calling to cancel your card. I had a friend suggestion that I write about some tips when your credit card is stolen abroad and what you can do to prevent it.
Call your bank well ahead of time.
It’s surprising how many people forget to call their bank before they head abroad and find that they are stuck without a credit card because they forgot to let someone know they were traveling. Remember to call your bank at least two weeks in advance so you know that you’ll be set to head overseas. Also, it’s a good idea to have a way to call back to the States if you need to. I use Viber Out, so I can call any number in the US when I have wifi—including my bank and credit card company in case I am making a last-minute trip and need to let them know.
Keep multiple credit cards—and keep them in different places.
It’s a good idea to have a few credit cards on hand when traveling abroad, and you’ll also want to keep them in different locations. Take one with you when you go out and leave one behind in the hotel or hostel safe so you know if one is lost or stolen you have another as a backup. If you plan on taking both of them out, keep them in separate locations on your person. If your wallet is stolen and you have your two or three cards in there, it doesn’t help you to have multiple credit cards.
You can still use checks.
I didn’t know this, but my friend informed me that even if your credit or debit card has been locked because it has been stolen or lost, you can still write checks from your checking account. Also, make sure you have some cash out when you are traveling—it’s a good idea to have it as a backup in case something happens and you find that you no longer have any cards.
Have any tips for travelers? Ever lost a card before? How did you manage?
Image courtesy of MoneyBlogNewz.