Lost Your Wallet Abroad? Here’s What You Can Do
Don’t worry, this has happened to me more times than I’d like to admit, and there are a number of ways out of it.
Before Anything
Go onto online banking and freeze your card. Your card might have been stolen. Then, call your bank and ask if they can send you an emergency replacement card.
I’m hesitant about telling people to immediately block or cancel your card. As I’ll get into later, there’s a chance that you can still use this card on Google or Apple Pay on your phone, but there’s also the chance that someone could be using your missing card.
Borrow From Friends
Hopefully, there will be someone willing to lend you money. Although you’ve lost your wallet, you can still transfer money through online banking. Your friend can take out money in the ATM, and give it to you. Then, you can transfer over that amount. It’s probably also easier to transfer through Paypal, Revolut, Wise, or any other fintech company.
If you have a friend that is willing to do this throughout the trip, then immediately report your card as lost or stolen.
But I’m Travelling Alone? What Can I Do?
If you use Google Pay, you can pay for items without a physical card on your phone. If your lost card is connected to Google Pay, you can still technically use your card this way. If this is the case, you can unfreeze your card and keep using it. Just make sure that nobody else is using it too.
If you use apps like Revolut, Wise and N24, they will have a digital card in your online account. You can use this as a method of payment on your Google Pay account, too. If this is an option, use this digital card instead of your missing card and report it lost or stolen.
I’m not familiar with Apple, but I assume this is the same for this too.
You can also get friends to send you money from abroad. As well as bank transfers, money from Revolut and Wise can be sent almost instantly.
I’ve Lost My Phone and My Wallet
So let’s say Google and Apple Pay are out the question, your next bet is to use a Western Union account. I haven’t used this in years, but if you set up a Western Union account, you can transfer money online from your online bank account to your Western Union account.
Western Union has offices based in almost every major city in the world. Simply send money to your account and request it to be collected at a branch in the city you are staying in. You’ll need to bring ID when collecting this money.
Your hotel might also help. They could take payments over the phone from friends and family to add to your bill, and they can give you cash. I’ve never tried this before, but it is worth a shot.
Your last resort is to contact your local consulate or embassy. They often deal with emergencies, and if you are in a country on your own with no money whatsoever, you should definitely reach out to them for extra help.
Preventative Measures
Because I have lost my wallet so many times abroad, I often bring more than one card. So I will carry my wallet around with me, but I also make sure that Google Pay is working on my phone, and also carry a Revolut or Wise card in my suitcase.
