Wednesday, March 24, 2010

What to do if your money is stolen while on vacation?

It is a situation that you never anticipate and, of course, never ever want to happen but you should always be prepared- just in case, your money is stolen or lost while you are on vacation.

These tips were taken from Journeywoman.com, a great resource for female travelers:

Help! my cards are gone!
Ms.Sam Bachand is the Royal Bank's Manager of Retail Foreign Exchange Services. Journeywoman asked what she would do if her credit card and bank card were stolen in a small town in Italy at 11 o'clock in the evening.
Sam writes...if I've prepared properly, this theft would only be a terrible inconvenience, not a huge calamity. Here's a few of my know-before-you-go hints....
1) Diversify your money-- take two $100 travellers cheques (for emergencies only), credit cards, bank cards as well as cash (U.S. cash is best because it's recognized in most places).
2) Be prepared! Before you leave home, record (in triplicate) the numbers on your travellers cheques , credit cards and bank cards. The same applies to all the 800 numbers you might need to report a theft. Leave one list with someone at home, one goes into your money belt and one stays in your suitcase.
3) Be creative! Hide your emergency money in strange places-- a vitamin pill bottle with a few pills in it is great. The bottle isn't see-thru and thieves are generally not interested in your Vitamin C.
4) Be very sure to check the restrictions on your credit cards. Did you know that some cards are not replaceable internationally if they're stolen?
5) Ask your bank for an extra client card. If the first is taken, you still have the second one to withdraw cash with.

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