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I am posing this scenario because I'm trying to figure out how to proactively prepare for a 3 week trip to Europe in less than a week.
On my first trip out of the country to Paris in 2014 I had my wallet/passport and all cards/cash stolen; not good. Since then I'm much better about protecting myself. I keep one card and limited cash on me in a 'neck wallet' that goes under my clothes. I also keep a little cash in my bra I keep my other cards and additional cash in the safe in my room.
I'm not finished booking all of my hotels for this trip. They may not all have rooms with safes.
With that said, I am just replaying the Paris scenario in my head and wondering to myself "How would I access my accounts and/or a fairly large sum of money if say, I ended up in the same scenario somehow?"
I basically am trying to figure out exactly what steps I'd need to take if I found myself without any access to cash or any of my cards. Should I provide my card numbers to a loved one and if something happened, have them use my cards to wire me money?
That's all I can think of for now but I'm a little sleep deprived so I'd like some suggestions from those seasoned travelers...
I keep a password protected file with credit card numbers [u]and the phone numbers to the cc company [/U in Dropbox. I also keep photocopies of our passports and driver's licenses in there. I keep the emailed plane, hotel, car rental, tour reservations in my email in a special folder. ALL of this can be accessed on my smart phone or any computer device.
DH and I travel together. We split the cash (very little), split the credit cards and we have two separate debit accounts. If one of us looses their wallet, we're still in the clear. When I travelled alone, I carried all the cash on me unless I had a room safe (but never much cash). I always left at least one credit card and one debit card in my hotel room, well hidden if I had no safe. Inside a book in my suitcase, under clothes. I cut the lining once in a suitcase. In the box where I keep my soap, under the soap.
The biggest protection, imho, is setting up TWO different credit cards AND TWO separate debit card accounts. Capital One is great for this - they don't charge the international transaction fee on cc purchases or ATM withdrawals.
I have a Dropbox account! I will have to look into the password protection of files; I wonder if this comes with the $9.99/month service I have with them. I totally forgot about having the card company numbers saved for quick access as well; thank you!
I am assuming you can share the files in Dropbox with another person so long as they have the password? If so I may forward to my mother or best friend as a backup. I have one debit card, and 3 credit cards (one of which is a Cap1).
First, you call your credit card companies to report that the cards were stolen. If you are going to be there long enough, they can send you duplicate cards.
I'd have my family wire me some cash so I could eat. When I am in Europe, my transportation and hotels have all been paid for before I arrive. So at least, I am not homeless.
If your passport has been stolen, you go to the American embassy and report it.
Take precautions against pickpockets, use a money belt and only have the cash you need for that day in your pocket or wallet. Women should be using a purse with a sturdy cross body strap and zippers on all compartments.
I always feel my stuff is safer with me than it is left in the motel room.
Store your money, debit cards, and credit cards in more than one location (on your person, hidden in your luggage, hidden in your hotel room). Then, unless you lose literally EVERYTHING and are left standing naked, you'll have some reserves to fall back on.
First, you call your credit card companies to report that the cards were stolen. If you are going to be there long enough, they can send you duplicate cards.
I'd have my family wire me some cash so I could eat. When I am in Europe, my transportation and hotels have all been paid for before I arrive. So at least, I am not homeless.
If your passport has been stolen, you go to the American embassy and report it.
Take precautions against pickpockets, use a money belt and only have the cash you need for that day in your pocket or wallet. Women should be using a purse with a sturdy cross body strap and zippers on all compartments.
I always feel my stuff is safer with me than it is left in the motel room.
In Paris, the first thing I did was notify the credit card companies of the stolen cards.
In hindsight, if I had at least my debit card account info I would think I could have wired myself money before having the card shut down. I made a call to my mother who was unable to help and basically told me it was my fault (story for another day), but that incident in itself taught me I have to depend upon myself if something like this were to happen again which is why I posted with this scenario. Assume the scenario is that you have no one to call that will wire you some of 'their own money'.
I did get an emergency passport at the embassy in Paris and as mentioned now use a neck wallet. I am torn on what to leave in my rooms.
Would a copy of your passport allow you to leave the country? My first thought was to keep some cash and a 2nd crdit card in another spot too. I do this when driving on a trip, always keep backups in the glove box.
Would a copy of your passport allow you to leave the country?...... .
Probably not. If you are a US citizen, you might be able to talk your way across the border and back into the USA with a copy, but I doubt that any airline would allow you to board without a genuine passport. They get dinged if they deliver anyone who can not make it through the immigration check, so they are careful to check ID before they allow you on the plane.
In Denmark this year, I had to show my passport to Danish Immigration, not only to get into the country, but to get out of the country. No one is allowed into the international portion of the airport without proper identification. I also had to show my passport to get onto the train.
The embassy can give you the correct documentation to travel without your stolen passport
Probably not. If you are a US citizen, you might be able to talk your way across the border and back into the USA with a copy, but I doubt that any airline would allow you to board without a genuine passport. They get dinged if they deliver anyone who can not make it through the immigration check, so they are careful to check ID before they allow you on the plane.
In Denmark this year, I had to show my passport to Danish Immigration, not only to get into the country, but to get out of the country. No one is allowed into the international portion of the airport without proper identification. I also had to show my passport to get onto the train.
The embassy can give you the correct documentation to travel without your stolen passport
This. I wouldn't bet on getting on a flight back into the US with a copy of a passport.
In Paris I had to get a replacement 'emergency passport'; it took about 2 hours to get but I had all of my ducks in a row and was in line a half hour before the embassy opened. It was good for one year.
On another note does anyone know if you have to carry your passport on you as ID as a US citizen in Spain? I don't remember needing it for anything in Barcelona but don't want to have any issues with this.
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I keep my other cards and additional cash in the safe in my room.
