Traveling alone or with friends and family can be an incredible experience whether you’re vacationing domestically or abroad. But when wallets get lost on vacation, the situation can send you into a spiral. You’re far from home and don’t have the means to get around. Losing a wallet would make anyone stressed out, but there’s no need to panic. Read on to learn what to do if you are on vacation with wallets out of sight.
Call Your Bank
The first thing you should do when you realize you lost your wallet is call your bank. Your bank will be able to freeze your accounts to prevent anyone from using them, and they will let you know if any suspicious activity has come through on your account (which could help in figuring out where your card is).
Depending on your bank – whether you have a debit card, credit card, or both – there could be a few ways you can do this. The most common is calling your bank and reporting the loss. Some banks have features set up on their apps to freeze your card right from there. If this is the case, you can freeze the card on your own but you will still want to call the bank to check for any fraudulent activity.
Attempt to Find Your Wallet
If you know there hasn’t been any suspicious activity with your banks, you can attempt to find your lost wallet. Retrace your steps to figure out where the wallet might be. Could it have been left at a restaurant? Did it fall out of your pocket onto the street? This effort might seem futile, but when you’re traveling, there’s a good chance you need the items in your wallet to get back home. If there’s any chance you can find it, take it.
File a Police Report
If you know your wallet has been stolen, you want to file a police report to minimize the chance of identity theft. Even if you lost your wallet and there isn’t any indication yet that it has been stolen, it’s best to assume it has because you never know where the wallet will end up. Get multiple copies of the police report once it has been filed as you will need this information in the event of identity theft and if you are traveling.
If your wallet is lost and you are traveling by air, you’ve just lost your identification which can make traveling difficult. However, having the police report showing that your property was taken will help make TSA check-ins easier than if you didn’t have anything at all.
Get In Touch with Loved Ones
Contact your family and friends to not only alert them to what has happened but to get some assistance if you can. See if someone can send you some money to make it through the rest of your trip or help to get your home earlier. Digital wallets can be a great way to make this easier but it’s not always possible to use a digital wallet in all places. In some cases, you can have money wired to and the sender can select a safety question in place of a photo ID since you are without one. Either way, staying in touch with your loved ones will be useful in helping manage your lost items.
Replace Lost Items
Try to replace them as soon as possible, so you aren’t stuck without your necessary items. You can do this when you return home and, if you can, try to replace them before you leave for vacation. Look into your state’s department of motor vehicles to get a replacement identification and check with your bank about sending replacement cards. If there are other cards you need replacements for, contact the appropriate places. Then, it’s time to shop for a new wallet.
Make New Travel Arrangements
If you travel by car on vacation, you won’t have too much trouble getting back home. Make sure you have plenty of cash and keep the police report on you if you are pulled over to prove you lost your ID.
If you are traveling by plane, you must make some specific arrangements. If you can swing it, your best bet is to reschedule travel and wait for your new ID and credit cards to arrive. That may not be possible, so if it isn’t, you want to allow extra time at the airport to make it through check-in and security without an ID. Make sure you have that police report with you and any other identifying information you have to simplify the process.
Conclusion
Losing wallets happens much more often than you may realize, so you aren’t alone if you’re stuck in this position. Take a deep breath and trust that with these tips, you’ll be able to find your way out of this smoothly.
FAQs
The best way to cancel your credit card if your wallet is lost is to call the customer service number on the back of the card. You will need to provide your name, address, and other identifying information to verify your identity, and then you can request that the card be canceled.
If you lose your driver’s license and need a new one, you will need to contact your state’s department of motor vehicles. You will likely need to fill out a form and provide proof of identity before issuing a new license.
If you think your wallet may have been stolen, you should check to see if any of your credit cards or other items have been used without your permission. If so, you should report the theft to the police and your credit card companies as soon as possible. You should also take steps to cancel and replace any lost or stolen items.
