Lose a credit card while travelling? Remember these tips.

Your credit card provides the most convenient and secure way to spend when you travel abroad. On the other hand, if your card gets lost or stolen during a trip, it can spoil the journey. Here are some tips to help you cope with any unexpected incident involving your credit card. Keep these in mind to limit the damage and carry on with your itinerary.

  1. Estimate how much you’ll spend while travelling abroad and contact card issuers (i.e., banks) to ask them to limit your credit line to that amount. If you run out of credit while travelling, you can always ask for an increase. Card issuers are sure to comply with this kind of request.
  2. Inform your banks about your travel program and destinations. That way the banks can inspect transactions more carefully, especially spending in countries that have a high incidence of credit card fraud related to data theft, purse snatching and pickpockets. As soon as a bank recognizes an unusual transaction, it will immediately call you to double check. But remember to activate international roaming service for the mobile phone number that you provide to your bank as an emergency contact number during your travel abroad.
  3. Take note of the phone number for the call center of your bank or credit card company. Keep this note separately from your credit cards. As soon as you notice any loss of a card, stay calm and contact the issuer bank to request that the account be frozen. Most banks provide a hotline specifically for emergency purposes like this.
  4. Keep the police report as evidence If you are travelling to a country where English is not used, you should find out in advance about which language is needed to make a police report. In some countries the police will not accept English to make a report. If you travel as part of a tour agency package, your tour guide can help with communications in making the report. If you are an independent traveller, you can contact the nearest Royal Thai Embassy or ask for assistance from the local Thai community. Get this contact information before you travel, if possible.


These tips can help speed you toward a solution in case you have any problem with your credit card. But it’s better to avoid difficulties. Take extra care of your valuables whenever you travel.