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Solo Female Travel

What to Do When You Lose Your Debit Card Overseas

05/01/2013 by Kristin 52 Comments

I had been told time and time again that the longer I traveled, the more chances I would have of things going horribly awry.

“Don’t jinx me!” I’d always say in response.  I fancy myself a careful traveler with a good head on her shoulders, but no matter how careful one tries to be, things will, inevitably, eventually go amiss.

I hadn’t noticed anything was missing, so I continued on my trajectory of spending baht like it’s Monopoly money, and arrived in the coastal town of Ao Nang with about 200 baht (the equivalent of USD$6) to my name.  Stopping by an ATM before my long-tail boat ride over to my beloved Tonsai, I opened my wallet and realized:

My freaking debit card is missing!!!

I hyperventilated while searching every orifice of my bag for about 5 minutes before digging out my emergency stash of dollars (that I actually earned for painting this mural, it’s funny how things work out), and changing them over to Thai baht.  Figuring that there was nothing to be done at the present moment, I got on the long-tail boat as planned, and headed for Tonsai, where the electricity doesn’t run during the day and there are no banks.

On my second day there, I was lamenting my situation to a Canadian I had just met, who immediately insisted on handing me three thousand baht (about USD$100).  Again and again I refused, but he insisted.

“It’s really not a lot to me.  Just pay it forward,” he said.

That few thousand ended up guiding me through until my arrival back in Ao Nang where I had my bank send me funds via Western Union.  Ten days later, my debit card arrived via FedEx.  Though a frankly crappy and anxiety-causing situation, it wasn’t the end of the world, or worse, my travels!

If you find yourself in a similar situation, take the following steps:

  • Inform your bank of the lost card and identify any fraudulent charges as soon as you can.  I did this all via Skype, which did not charge me for calling 1-800 numbers. 
  • Have either your bank or a family member send you funds via Western Union.  If you have credit cards and know your PIN number, sometimes the fees are more favorable to withdraw a cash advance on those vs. Western Union. Another option is to PayPal another traveler some money and have them withdraw funds from an ATM for you.
  • Your bank may require you to fax over your location information – mine did.  It was very helpful in this situation to have my mother on my account as she had easier access to a fax machine (I added her before leaving – this has turned out to be a great idea for several reasons).
  • Find a location you trust, like a nice hotel, to have your card sent to.  I chose the dive shop I had just finished a Similan Islands dive trip with, as it was not too far for me to get back to and I knew I could trust them.
  • Your bank should send the card via FedEx. Obtain a tracking number and track its progress.


Other ideas that friends have since come up with include having multiple bank accounts so that the Western Union fees can be avoided. This is a smart move and one I’ll be employing moving forward.

So, all said and done, I lost a little, and gained some faith in humanity via a gift from a stranger.  It rings true time and time again, when we’re in need, that’s when help arrives.

Have you ever lost something important while traveling? What did you do to remedy the situation?



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I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

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Comments

  1. Suzanne Fluhr says

    05/01/2013 at 11:03 am

    I am so due for something like this to happen when I’m traveling. (Evil Eye, please cover your ears, uh, eyes, uh, whatever).

    Both my sons have survived:
    **older son (leaving debit card in library photocopy machine and then leaving for Australia); and, y
    **younger son (I think you know him – you know, the adopted one)(arriving at JFK Airport (from Philly!) and realizing he didn’t have his passport for a flight to Israel–also left in a photocopy machine. A very good friend drove it 100 miles up to him).

    For some reason, your commentluv does not love my blog post urls, so I’ll add this one:
    http://www.boomeresque.com/baby-boomer-travel-induced-hypochondria/

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/02/2013 at 12:46 am

      haha, your comments always make me laugh.

      Reply
  2. Jeremy says

    05/01/2013 at 11:12 am

    Eeek, this has happened to me also, but in Mexico. Here are my personal tips:

    -Travel with more than 1 debit cart and keep them in different places. You can always transfer cash around both accounts online, but this has saved my butt more than once.

    -Have a mastercard and a visa card. I was in the Philippines in a remote area, and the only ATM machine accepted mastercard, wtf! Thankfully I had a capital one masterdard, and while I got hit for doing a cash advance on a credit card, it was better than taking a bus 2 hours to the next closest ATM.

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/02/2013 at 12:47 am

      You’re kidding. I never thought I would need a mastercard…

      Reply
  3. Arianwen says

    05/01/2013 at 11:58 am

    I really like the painting! It’s tough when you have money issues on the road. I’ve never had a debit card lost or stolen, but I had to cancel one once in Madrid after being pretty convinced I’d been scammed. The main problem I face is having the banks cancel my cards when they’re perfectly safe, despite me informing them where I’ll be travelling. I guess it’s best to have as many options to get money out as possible.

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/02/2013 at 12:51 am

      Thanks! Ugh I hope my bank never does that to me!

      Reply
  4. OCDemon says

    05/01/2013 at 1:11 pm

    I was smart enough to take 2 cards and both failed simultaneously anyway. Huzzah! And then it was Christmas in Greece and it took an entire month to get my card back. Then it still took some extra attention to make it work properly. Oh, good times. I think it’s kinda dumb to take 3, but…hmm…

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/02/2013 at 12:47 am

      Wow two failed to work?!

      Reply
    • Simona says

      04/17/2018 at 9:19 pm

      We (me and my boyfriend travel together) just got all 3 of our cards stolen :(.
      Hidden in different places.
      Well, this sucks big time!

      Reply
      • Ruth Darrah says

        04/24/2019 at 1:15 pm

        My son had his bank card cloned last night in peru so had to cancel it. And 2 hours later he lost his cash card. Travelling alone, 19 yrs old. Help!!!

        Reply
  5. Aroundtheworldforhappiness says

    05/01/2013 at 8:23 pm

    We had a problem much like that in Costa Rica. And also a fellow traveller was kind enough to help us out to:)
    Glad all was ok. Its a scary situation but once you clear your head and stop thinking of how your going to plan sleeping on the beach for rest of your days its really not that bad. Western union also got us out of that jam!

    Great post!!

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/02/2013 at 12:48 am

      I did start to think, hmm, maybe I can work in exchange for hostel accommodation?

      Reply
  6. Alana - Paper Planes says

    05/02/2013 at 1:03 am

    That’s so cool of the Canadian to help out, and I’m sure if he hadn’t something else would have come along. I’ve seen it time and time again in Thailand, things just tend to work out and people help in the most unexpected situations and times!

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/03/2013 at 2:28 am

      Yes it was very nice of him!

      Reply
  7. Nora - The Professional Hobo says

    05/02/2013 at 5:42 am

    I always have a backup plan (or two) for how to get cash and pay for things. You never know when a card will be declined/stolen/blocked/demagnetized/etc/etc/etc.
    Glad you survived, and had a chance to experience some generosity on the road too!

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/03/2013 at 2:29 am

      Looks like I better come up with one!

      Reply
  8. Dale says

    05/02/2013 at 6:35 am

    When my debit card went missing the other day I took the fairest approach possible.

    I sent our a hit squad of highly trained mosquitos to hunt down the culprit & apply the highest possible bite to inch of skin ration possible.

    Still awaiting results.

    If it doesn’t work out I’ll call the bank.

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/03/2013 at 2:34 am

      I thought of doing that but since mozzies and I are so not cool with each other I settled for venting on Facebook instead.

      Reply
  9. Audrey says

    05/02/2013 at 6:51 am

    Yikes! That was so kind of the stranger to help you out with some cash. I’ve misplaced my cards a few times while travelling, but fortunately, I always managed to find them hidden somewhere…

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/06/2013 at 3:40 am

      I was so hoping I’d randomly find it in my bag! No dice, though.

      Reply
  10. Katie says

    05/02/2013 at 7:01 pm

    Check with your bank before you leave to see if they will even send replacement cards overseas. My card (Capital One) was list in an ATM machine in Russia and Capital One told me they would only send the replacement to my address in the US. On top of that, as I made plans to have my parents send me the card once it arrived, I learned that Russia prohibits the import of credit/debit cards so there was a chance my new card wouldn’t even make it through customs.

    Luckily I was able to get my card from the bank that owned the ATM so it was all moot, but I learned a lot!

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/03/2013 at 2:35 am

      Oh man that sounds stressful! Good to know as I think I’m heading to Russia next fall!

      Reply
  11. Annie Andre says

    05/04/2013 at 9:50 am

    This just happened to us literally 3 weeks ago. It was a nightmare but we got through it. We usually have mutltiple cards with us. carry one set and another set just in case of emergencies or in case we the first set gets lost or compromised. Seems silly but its even more annoying to be without mnoey..

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/06/2013 at 3:41 am

      It’s seeming silly to me now that I didn’t have a set of backup cards. Will not make that mistake again.

      Reply
  12. Erica says

    05/05/2013 at 1:16 pm

    How very kind of that guy in Tonsai for helping you out. I lost my credit card when I visited Thailand earlier this year and had to have money transferred via Western Union. From now on I’ll travel with two cards and/or emergency cash like you.

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/06/2013 at 3:41 am

      The kindness of strangers always surprises me.

      Reply
  13. Jenny says

    05/06/2013 at 7:32 am

    I too, am overdue for this kind of debacle. However, sometimes I’ve wound up in a jam even without screwing up myself- like when the only ATM on the island was broken…

    Reply
    • admin says

      05/06/2013 at 8:54 am

      Gosh I haven’t ran into that before. Everyone’s comments are both making me scared but also making me more prepared!

      Reply
  14. Cindy says

    02/12/2014 at 5:12 am

    I think the “emergency cash” is the best option. I have never lost my credit card, however I had it blocked numerous time because my bank thought it had been stolen and was being used overseas !

    So
    Advice #1 : always tell your bank if you’re planning a trip
    Advice #2 : always keep a handful of bills (euro or dollar or any “big” currency accepted anywhere) for emergency

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      02/12/2014 at 9:26 pm

      and make sure they’re crisp bills with no tears in high denominations!

      Reply
  15. Deia @ Nomad Wallet says

    02/27/2014 at 11:55 pm

    I love meeting kind strangers! What I don’t love so much is getting in a position where I need the kindness of strangers.

    My debit card didn’t work in Taiwan and I was saved by a lanky South African who exchanged my AUD into the local currency. (The only exchange bureau that was open didn’t want my AUD or CAD.)

    I now bring 2 credit cards, 2 debit cards and some emergency cash in USD. I don’t know if that’s overkill, but better safe than sorry.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/01/2014 at 1:10 am

      Smart. I ran into another issue when no bank in the China/Vientam border town wanted to take my debit card!

      Reply
  16. Lauren says

    04/02/2014 at 4:20 pm

    Thanks so much for posting this! I will be travelling hardcore (for the first time in my life, at all) in 11 months time, and this was a concern that crossed my mind! Great advice, I’ll be sure to follow the lot!

    Lauren

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      04/02/2014 at 8:27 pm

      Glad to help! Definitely have a backup card. I learned this the hard way again in China when the ATMs in the border town I was in all rejected my one and only card. My other one hadn’t arrived in time before I left home last time so once again, I’m making this same mistake!

      Reply
  17. Darren says

    09/22/2014 at 9:34 am

    I cannot tell you how relieved I am that they are people like you all who have had this issue. It is one of my worst nightmares as I plan my RTW trip.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      09/22/2014 at 10:19 am

      I’ve done it twice. I didn’t even learn from my mistake the first time around!

      Reply
  18. john says

    01/09/2016 at 10:52 am

    Suggestion of western union saved my debit-card-losing ass. Thanks kristin. Good thing the details were committed to memory! Simply register online then send to yourself. You’ll need id and to write down the collection number.

    Reply
  19. Christina says

    12/08/2016 at 7:32 am

    It’s unfortunate that this happened to you. Notifying the bank right away is a very important tip.

    Reply
  20. Larry says

    11/02/2017 at 11:31 am

    This is happening to me. I got my new card, but unauthorized transactions started cropping up. Then I got another and still the same deal. My bank’s agent and I concluded based on the times, someone had opened my FedEx packages and compromised the card, before I even opened it myself to activate it. Frustrating. The transactions were at the apartment I am staying in! I am guessing it is a particular receptionist trying to launder money. Damn kids.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/02/2017 at 4:19 pm

      Whoaaa that’s no good! Hopefully you have a backup or another option. In the past when I met someone at the hotel in the same situation I pulled money out of the ATM for him and he paypal’d me. Maybe that’s an option?

      Reply
  21. Sanjil shakya says

    12/16/2017 at 11:33 pm

    Nice Article

    Reply
  22. Theresa says

    07/26/2018 at 10:47 pm

    Daughter in barcelona was just robbed of phone and card. Thankfully others in hostel are letting her use their phones. And thankfully she put passport and another debit and credit card in safe with a little cash. Think it’s time to end her 7 week European travels. Yet she’s unharmed and safe!!!!!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/26/2018 at 11:52 pm

      Sorry to hear that! Honestly I hope it’s not a reason to end a trip. It can happen anywhere, but Barcelona can be bad. Thankfully it’s just things.

      Reply
  23. Kay says

    11/27/2018 at 3:10 pm

    This literally just happened to me yesterday and your blog helped me keep my sanity! Thank you for this! I’m in Koh Samui spending money so freely (like $800 in less than 4 days) and then I realized I’m down to my last 1000 baht and went to the ATM. Well, to my surprise, my credit card was no where to be found! I was panicked, pissed at myself and had no idea where it could be. I was planning to get in a taxi and go out for fun – and this completely changed the game. All my free spirited spending and planning excursions came to a screeching halt as I began to re-visit each place I had been to see if they had my card. No success.

    I used paypal to send funds to a friend and it went through in minutes! OMG I thought it would take 1-3 days and I was so relieved. Of course, when my friend went to the atm it said they had to call the bank. Unfortunately, back home in California it was 2am 🙁 They were clever enough to check the back of the card and see there was an international number and 800 number. We used your SKYPE trick to call the 800 number for FREE! OMG amazing! Within probably 30 min of discovering the main source of money was gone, we were back to enjoying the trip. Anyway, your story helped me so much and maybe mine will help someone too, so I had to share.

    Lessons learned:
    1- only take card to ATM and back to the room. Most places won’t accept it anyway so no need to bring outside.
    2- bring an emergency back up card and keep in a separate place from your main card. Perhaps in luggage.
    3- If you have a friend make sure they do the same & also have paypal
    4- bring some cash in case of emergency (I did do this but I only brought $200)

    Back to having fun on this trip!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/27/2018 at 11:30 pm

      I’m so glad it worked out for you! I remember meeting a guy in Chile who had lost his card and I was like, just Paypal me and I’ll pull it out of the ATM for you. I guess he had to trust that I’d really do it, but you can read someone’s vibe, right? Since my bank doesn’t charge fees it wasn’t a big deal for me. Glad to have things like Paypal and venmo to help out in these situations!

      Reply
  24. Sanup Bajracharya says

    03/24/2019 at 9:36 pm

    This blog led me to believe more in “Humanity do exist”. It was all of a sudden that my debit card was missing.. I was straight forward to look into your blog about the instructions clearly provided. It saved me alot. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/27/2019 at 11:10 am

      Yay!

      Reply
  25. Alex says

    04/02/2019 at 9:17 pm

    We have used our credit card for most purchases and redeem the rewards points for free plane tickets. We don’t fly much anymore and although we’ve never paid interest, we are also more wary of using credit cards now, so we only use them for certain things. Mostly I use a debit card, but I’m starting to think cash would actually be safer.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      04/03/2019 at 12:34 pm

      If I can do credit cards I do. I would be wary of traveling with a big wad of cash. So easy to lose it all!

      Reply
  26. Dustin says

    07/05/2019 at 10:34 pm

    Just take heed that for some reason moneygram and western union in Costa Rica rarely have the cash to pay out.

    Reply
  27. vijay says

    10/25/2019 at 12:46 am

    This blog led me to believe more in “Humanity do exist”. It was all of a sudden that my debit card was missing. I was straight forward to look into your blog about the instructions clearly provided. It saved me a lot.

    Reply
  28. Chef Mike says

    12/24/2020 at 2:32 am

    Honest the best trick that I came up with is to call your bank well before you go anywhere on vacation and tell them your card isn’t working because it is damaged. Then they will send you a new one. In the mean while your current card won’t be shut off because it’s not lost or stolen. They assume you’ll just activate the new card when you get it, but don’t. I have done this a few times before going to another country. When I get my replacement card I put it away with my things and it will be there if I need it and all I have to do is call the number on the back and active it. Unfortunately I had to do this two different times, once in Mexico and once in Belize. It really saved me so much hassle you wouldn’t believe it. None of the options listed above will get you anywhere like having a back up card right there with you, in fact you can disregard every option mentioned above because they are not reliable or easy to figure out. Just have an extra card. That’s it problem solved.

    Reply

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