Lost phone or wallet abroad: what to do first
Get somewhere safe, protect access to your accounts and record the loss. You can rebuild the travel plans once the urgent steps are done.
Move to a safe, staffed place before trying to solve everything at once. If there is immediate danger or someone is injured, contact emergency services. For a missing phone or wallet without an ongoing emergency, focus on protecting accounts and getting practical help.
Protect the phone and payment cards
Use a trusted device to follow the manufacturer's lost-device process. Apple's stolen-iPhone guidance explains how to mark a device as lost and warns against removing it from Find My, which would remove Activation Lock. For Android, use Google's Find Hub instructions.
Do not confront anyone at a location shown on the tracking map. Share relevant information with police instead. A location marker is not a safe invitation to recover the device yourself.
Contact your bank through its official app, website or saved number to freeze or block affected cards. Tell your mobile provider about the loss so it can protect the SIM or account. If you think the phone was unlocked or the passcode observed, prioritise your email, banking and account-recovery security too.
Be wary of messages claiming the phone has been found and asking for a passcode or login. Open the provider's official service yourself rather than following an unexpected link.
Make a clear record
Report theft through the local police process and retain the report or reference. Note the time, place, missing items and relevant transactions while you remember them. Your insurer may require a prompt report and supporting documents, so check its instructions.
If the passport is also missing, contact the issuing country's consular service. Emergency travel documents can have route restrictions. Confirm what is possible before buying a replacement flight with an extra transit country.
Rebuild the next day of the trip
Use your backup payment method and ask accommodation staff for help reaching the bank, police or consulate if language is a barrier. Retrieve tickets and addresses from your protected backup rather than trying to remember every booking.
Once the urgent steps are handled, let a trusted person know how to contact you. Our passport and card organisation guide helps set up a less fragile arrangement for the rest of the journey.