garyincary

Hi,

I know it's suggested that I make extra copies of passports, credit card numbers, etc., when I travel to Germany and Switzerland. When I go out during the day to see the sights, how can I assure that they're kept safe in my hotel room? Do I keep it in my luggage in the room and just keep the luggage locked? What do you suggest?

If you want to respond to me directly, my email is [email protected].

Thanks for all your help.

janisj

in a money belt or in the hotel's safe - never ever in your luggage . . . . .

jules4je7

I don't know if you're traveling alone or with a partner, but my husband and I swap copies of documents, so that I carry my passport and credit cards in my money belt, along with copies of his credit cards & photo copies of his passport & green card (he's a Canuck).

He does the opposite -- carrying my photo copies and his original documents in his.

I never leave anything in a hotel, safe or no safe. I figure if it's on me in the money belt, I can't lose it, and if I need it, I have it available.

Happy travels,

Jules

J62

I keep a photocopy of my passport in my suitcase - there's not a lot anyone can do with it anyway.

CC#s I keep a list on my yahoo email account. I know that in a pinch I can access my info from any computer with an internet connection.

I also store a scanned copy of my passport on the email as well.

I would have no concern keeping a printed list of cc #'s and tel #'s in my luggage and simply zipping the bag shut when I go out for the day.

Usually I'm much more concerned about where to get a good am coffee and pastry rather than worrying about worrying if someone might get my card #s.

nessundorma

I keep a copy of my passport on me and in my suitcase -- and my passport in the hotel safe. As for credit card numbers, why bother with copies? Just write down the 800 number and keep a copy in the hotel safe with your passport. If you lose your credit card, you can call your credit card company and identify yourself by mother's maiden name, address, social security number, blah blah.

bob_brown

I totally fail to see what useful purpose can be achieved by carrying a copy of credit card numbers!

Just how do you intent do use them?

I carry a couple of cards and so does my wife, but not the same cards. We do have the phone numbers to report a lost or stolen card.

That is the only reason I have travelers' checks: a doomsday defense in the event of theft.

francophile03

The credit card numbers themselves I'm not sure how useful they will be. However, by making double sided copies of your credit cards you have both the c/c #'s and the customer service phone number shown on the reverse of the cards. We don't use the hotel safes and won't leave those types of data in our suitcase. The whole suitcase can be stolen.

Carlux

Well, obviously some of you disagree, but my feeling is that unless you really have a good reason not to trust your hotel (then why are you there) your valuables are much safer there than being carried around with you. We have had people asking is it safe to leave their documents in our rental houses - they have the key, they can lock up, and no one else will be in. Seems to me there's no contest.

We have just had drinks with someone who had his wallet stolen in Paris. Sitting in a cafe on the Champs Elysee, waiting for change, with the wallet under his hand on top of the table. Kids came along trying (supposedly) to sell him a newspaper. He was sure his hand never left his wallet, but Of course while one of them distracted him, the other took the wallet. Credit cards, drivers licence, ID all gone. We're very sorry for him, would never ourselves walk around with all that valuable documentation. (I speak from experience, having had my wallet stolen in Bloomingdales on a trip to New York a long time ago. When I told the cop what was in my wallet - cards for department stores in Toronto, etc. he asked, quite reasonably why I had all of that with me. ) So now when I go out, only the absolute minimum. Cash, one card, no drivers licence if I'm in a city not driving, and above all, no passport.

janisj

&quot;<i>your valuables are much safer there than being carried around with you. </i>&quot;

Absolutely not true IMHO. They are most secure in a money belt. 2nd safest would be in a hotel safe. 3rd safest is a safe w/i the hotel room. And anywhere else in the room is not safe at all.

bill_boy

&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;I totally fail to see what useful purpose can be achieved by carrying a copy of credit card numbers! &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

I agree. It's just an additional item that can potentially get lost/stolen and which will render the duplicated card useless upon reporting.

L84SKY

Worse than rendering the duplicate card useless- if a thief steals only your CC# you will may have no way of knowing until you get home and get your bill.

Or you could find out that you're suddenly over your limit when you're ready to check into a hotel.

Now imagine these scenerios happening with all of CC#s written down on the same paper.
garyincary, while some people may have suggested writing this info down I think many have suggested otherwise. Please don't write them down.

speckles

If you want a copy of the credit card number purely in case you need to report it stolen, then why not leave a copy with reliable friend or relative? If you are misfortunate enough to lose your card then you can get the number from your friend.

janisj

Oh - I don't keep copies of the credit cards themselves, for the reasons already mentioned. I do keep copies of the contact phone numbers for each acct.

When I mentioned money belt/hotel safe it was for things like passport, extra credit/ATM card(s), etc.

nessundorma

Just weighing in here on the side of hotel safe being number one for safety/no loss when it comes to passports and extra cash.

Plus, I keep plugging the Yazzy sport bag as great way to secure a credit card and some dough while walking around. Can be &quot;palmed&quot; as well as riding the back of the hand. Relieves you of the need for having to reach under your clothes to pay for things.

kerouac

In the past, I have scanned various important documents and sent them by e-mail to myself, with a copy to my brother. Then you can get them out of your mailbox, or have them sent to you if necessary. In my own experience (but this was in 1996), I was mugged in South Africa and at that time it was my office that faxed various items from my personal file to my consulate to get me out of there.