It’s my greatest fear - to lose my wallet while I’m abroad. Either through carelessness or pick pocketing, most travellers have the same fear. Dealing with losing credit cards, ID or a passport can be a nightmare in other countries.  So, if you’re planning a trip abroad, here’s what you should know, according to Jocelyn Baird at NextAdvisor.com,  about the potential of becoming a fraud victim while you’re out of the country:

Never limit yourself to one form of payment:

While it’s certainly more secure to use a credit card to pay for purchases while you’re travelling, it’s best to always prepare for the worst case scenario. More than one payment card is certainly a good option (note that you’ll want to make sure you keep them in separate places), but you’re better off ensuring that you’ve always got some cash on hand in addition to plastic. Not comfortable carrying cash? Although they might seem completely outdated, traveller’s checks are still a viable option offered by most banks. Unlike the paper checks you might be used to, these checks can only be cashed with your presence and signature, making them a secure option, though you might have some trouble finding any place other than a bank or sometimes hotels to use them. Still, it’s worth having a few on you whenever you leave the country to act as an emergency option in case you experience fraud or get robbed, or you can’t find a working ATM. Push comes to shove, you can try and have someone wire you money, but that could get expensive for the person sending the money.

Make sure to call and report the fraud immediately:

Whether your credit card is stolen from you directly, or you’ve just tried to use an ATM or pay for a souvenir and encountered an error message, it’s important to contact your credit card company immediately. As detailed by this post from CreditCards.com, most credit card issuers have specific numbers to call if you’re overseas, so make sure you use the correct number. It’s vital that you report your credit card as lost or stolen as soon as possible — not only does waiting increase your time away from home without access to a secure form of payment, but you’re also putting yourself at risk of violating your credit card’s $0 liability policy. Additionally, once you report the fraud, you can work on getting a replacement card.

It is possible to get a replacement credit card while you’re away:

Although this may not be doable in some countries or areas of the world, depending on where you are and which credit card provider you’re dealing with, it’s not totally impossible to get a new credit card while you’re travelling. The best way to find out what your options are is to call your credit card’s emergency line and talk to them directly. If you don’t have a verifiable address where a new card can be sent, or you aren’t going to be traveling long enough for a new credit card to arrive, you might be out of luck until you can get home to your own mailbox. That’s why, as we outlined above, it’s vital to always carry backup methods of payment.

For more tips, click here: http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/2016/11/10/what-should-i-do-if-my-credit-card-is-stolen-while-im-abroad/