Emergency planning whilst travelling: What to do in the event of loss, theft or fraud?

Contents:

• Well prepared: your emergency kit for travelling

• Loss or theft: The first 30 minutes

• Card fraud: What to do in an emergency?

• After the emergency: What to do next

• Conclusion: Well prepared, even if something goes wrong

Well prepared: your emergency kit for travelling

Who wants to think about stolen cards or lost documents before going on holiday? Yet a few simple precautions are all it takes to save yourself a lot of trouble in an emergency.

These five things should be part of your travel preparations:

• Take a spare card: Don’t rely on a single payment method. An extra card, kept separate from your main one, can ensure you still have access to your money in an emergency.
• Keep some cash to hand: A small reserve in the local currency will help if you’re temporarily unable to pay by card. Keep this separate from your wallet too.
• Save emergency numbers: Keep the contact details of your card provider, your travel insurance and the relevant Swiss embassy or consulate to hand. It’s best to have them on paper as well, in case you lose your smartphone.
• Back up important documents: Save copies of your passport, identity card and important travel documents in a secure place that you can access even without your own smartphone.
• Prepare your card app: Before you set off, check how to block your card, monitor transactions or apply for a replacement card. If you’re already familiar with these functions, you won’t waste valuable time in an emergency.

Our tip: Before you set off, ask yourself: could I continue my journey if my wallet and smartphone went missing tomorrow? If you have an answer to that, you’re already well prepared.

Loss or theft: The first 30 minutes

Your wallet’s gone. Perhaps you left it in a taxi, or perhaps it was stolen. Naturally, you’ll want to look for it first. But as long as it’s unclear where your cards are, you shouldn’t waste any time. The most important thing now is to prevent any potential damage.

Here’s what you should do:

• Block your cards immediately: Block your payment cards via the app or by contacting customer services. With Swiss Bankers, you can do this directly in the app.

• Check your account activity: Check your recent transactions and report any unauthorised debits to your card provider straight away.

• Protect your smartphone: If your mobile phone is also missing, block it remotely if possible, have the SIM card deactivated and secure access to your important accounts.

• Report the theft: Then report the incident to your local police and ask for a police report to be issued.

• Replace identity documents: If your passport or identity card is missing, contact the relevant Swiss embassy or consulate.

Important: Your safety comes first. Do not attempt to chase after a suspected thief yourself. First, take care of your cards and personal account details. Everything else can be sorted out afterwards.

Card fraud: What should you do if it happens?

You receive a message from your hotel asking you to confirm your booking. The link provided looks legitimate. You enter your card details and only realise later that the message was a scam. Or you spot a charge on your card app that you can’t account for. To find out what tricks criminals use and how you can protect yourself, read our article ‘Fraud traps abroad: How to protect your card and your money’.

In such cases of fraud, you often still have the card in your possession. Nevertheless, your card details may already have fallen into the wrong hands. That’s why you should take action as soon as you have the slightest suspicion.

What to do if you suspect fraud:

• Secure your card: If you suspect that your card details have fallen into the wrong hands, block the affected card immediately. Do not disclose any further card details or verification codes.
• Report unknown payments: Contact your card provider via the official channels and report any suspicious transactions. With Swiss Bankers, you can report unauthorised payments using the relevant dispute form. It is important not to wait too long.
• Save evidence: Do not delete suspicious messages or emails straight away. Screenshots, payment receipts and details of the incident may be helpful when clarifying the matter later.
• Change your passwords: If you have also entered your login details on a fake website, change the relevant passwords. Only use the official website or app of the respective provider to do so.
• Keep an eye out for further debits: Check your transactions regularly over the next few days. Not every instance of fraud is immediately apparent.

Good to know: Even if you have confirmed a fraudulent payment yourself, you should report the incident immediately. Whether a refund is possible depends on the circumstances and the applicable card terms and conditions.

After an emergency: What to do next

Your cards have been blocked, the theft has been reported and the initial shock has subsided. But what happens next? After all, you’ll want to carry on with your holiday as carefree as possible.

Here’s what matters now:

• Arrange a replacement card: Check with your card provider to find out how quickly you can get a new card and whether it can be delivered to your holiday hotel. Swiss Bankers sends replacement Travel and Prime cards free of charge by courier worldwide. To order from abroad, please contact customer services.
• Ensure you have access to money: Until your new card arrives, you can use your second card or your cash reserves. If you don’t have either of these, ask someone you trust if they can send you money via a money transfer service.
• Contact your insurer: Check what losses your travel insurance covers and what documents are required. Keep the police report, receipts and other supporting documents in a safe place.
• Keep an eye on outstanding cases: If you have disputed unauthorised payments, follow up on the response from your card provider. Continue to monitor your transactions so that any further irregularities do not go unnoticed.

Once back home, it’s worth going over the incident again. Do any further documents need replacing? Have all insurance matters been sorted out? And what could you do differently on your next trip? Perhaps pack an extra card or secure important documents more securely. It’s often these little things that make a big difference next time.

Conclusion: Be well prepared, even if things go wrong

Nobody wants to think about stolen cards, lost documents or attempts at fraud whilst on holiday. However, such incidents cannot be ruled out entirely. If you carry a spare card, know the important emergency numbers and know how to block your cards, you’ll be at a clear advantage in an emergency.

And should something actually happen, the rule is: protect your cards and personal details first, then sort out everything else. With a bit of preparation, you can avoid a lot of hassle – and hopefully there’ll still be enough time to enjoy the rest of your holiday.