Going anywhere and having your phone lost or stolen is a nightmare for anyone of any age as it takes away your access to be able to communicate with the people you need to.
This is especially true if you're abroad in a foreign country and don't quite know the language or your way around.
In addition to this, many important documents may be kept on your phone such as your boarding tickets and emergency contacts to call should anything not go to plan.
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According to comparison site NerdWallet, around 8.7 million phones were lost or stolen in 2021 - this is the equivalent to 1,000 phones every hour.
And with plenty of people packing their bags for the upcoming summer holiday, it's important to take the right precautions so that if this unfortunate situation does happen, you know what to do.
Because of this, Brean Horne, personal finance expert at NerdWallet, has shared five precautions holidaymakers should take to protect themselves if their device gets lost or stolen abroad.
1. Change your passwords on emails and social accounts
Changing the passwords to your email and social media accounts is one of the first steps to take if your phone gets lost or stolen as it will help to prevent someone from accessing private information from your accounts that could be used to commit fraud.
Most apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Gmail save your username and password so that you don’t have to keep logging in each time you want to use them.
However while this can help save time and is convenient for us, it means that anyone can get into your accounts if they have your phone.
Turning off this feature, or remembering to log out of your accounts when they are not in use, could make your phone more secure and reduce the risk of someone accessing your accounts if your phone is misplaced or stolen.
2. Cancel cards connected to your device
Apple, Google Pay and online banking are one of the most commonly used payment methods today which can be authorised by simply entering your password, face recognition or fingerprint authentication.
Whilst face recognition and fingerprint authentication may be more difficult for someone else to access, passwords can be guessed more easily.
If you are able to quickly cancel any cards attached to your device, this will help prevent unauthorised payments.
If you think you’ve just misplaced your phone, your card provider may offer the option to ‘freeze’ your card which temporarily blocks payments until you track it down.
3. Keep your location on
Keeping the GPS location on your phone turned on can help you track it down more easily if it gets lost or stolen.
Most phones offer a ‘find-my-phone’ security feature that allows you to trace your phone, call it and wipe information from it remotely using the GPS.
You’ll need to turn on this feature in your phone’s settings to be able to use it. And it’s worth keeping it switched on, especially when travelling abroad.
4. Log out of Cloud services
Many people like to be safe and back their personal data to another server such as Apple's iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive.
Here you can store personal photos, contacts and other data so that it's easily retrievable should anything - like a theft - happen.
You can follow the right steps using another device of your own or someone else's to help you log out of the cloud and even change your password to prevent somebody trying to log back in.
5. Contact your mobile carrier
It's vital to let your mobile phone provider know if your device is lost or stolen.
Whether you have a pay-monthly contract or a pay-as-you-go SIM, they can block your device to prevent unauthorised calls or data usage. They'll also issue a new SIM card with your existing number.
You may also be able to get a replacement phone delivered to you, depending on both your carrier and how long you will be out of the country.
