I've done a fair bit of traveling abroad. I haven't had a problem with theft, but banks have time and again locked me out, even when I warned them I'd be traveling, and provided them with dates and places. Wells Fargo completely canceled my ATM card, because they decided to upgrade me to "Platinum" status -- which apparently gives you nothing but a new card, but means that the old card you were using before has to be deactivated and cannot be reactivated no matter how many times you tell people at the bank that you can't get to your mailbox because you're out of the country.

So for god's sake, keep at least two accounts with ATM cards you can use abroad, and make sure they both have enough cash for a bad day and that you can transfer funds between them easily.

The hotel safe is for brandy and grandmothers pearls. I need something more secure.

Travelers checks are worthless, worst exchange rates ever. My MO when traveling (I did it for 9 months straight), neck dangling pouch with passport, 1 credit card, and ATM card (UNDER your shirt of course) ... Then 1 spare ATM card in my shoe under the insert (Be sure to wrap it in wax paper). Simple as that.

The two accounts thing is a good idea.

Reminds me of the Nick Swardson line: "Sometimes you have to call something gay, how else to describe a... fanny pack! Thats gay!"

If you're overseas, you NEED NEED NEED NEED to have a copy of your passport. If it's lost/stolen, it's easy to get it replaced with a copy. Without, serious problem. I scanned mine, and emailed it to myself on gmail, so anywhere there's Internet access, I have a copy.

@WarOperationPlanResponse_GitEmSteveDave: Most of the time, when I'm traveling, the hotel either doesn't have an in-room safe, or my large engineer's laptop does not fit in it. I don't see the point of putting my laptop in a hotel safe that hotel employees have access to. Key locks can be quickly picked, and conventional luggage combination locks can be hacked in minutes (how long does it take for you to count from 001 to 999? What if you were alone in a hotel room with a closed door for hours?). I always take my laptop with me. The advice about not keeping your bag on the seat back is legit, but where am I supposed to keep a rolling laptop bag if not on the floor?

Totally agree. I just use the same tactics my 93 year old Grandmother used in her youth to hide money. A pouch with a long string tucked into my bra carries my passport, credit card, etc. Otherwise hotel keys and other items can be hidden in your shoe underneath one of those cushioned liners. The money supply you need for the day can easily be hidden in the "ipod pocket" built into the inside lining of most jackets and pants these days. The key is to not access these things in front of people. If you are heading into a store to make a purchase quietly transfer the money or card you will need out of your stash to a easy to reach pocket beforehand.

Important numbers and information can then be also "backed up" the old fashioned way on a laminated piece of paper sewn into the lining of a jacket or a hem.

"While abroad, stash the copies and the backup card in your hotel safe"

Please note, these hints work well if you're a dude, too. Nyuck, nyuck. It is, as another commenter said above, absolutely vital to have a copy of your passport while traveling. Emailing it to yourself is a great idea, but it's also good practice to give a copy of it to a loved one still in the States. That way, if you don't have a copy and don't have access to email, you could still get it faxed to your hotel or the consulate.

@Judy MacGillivary-Zik: You can often, without much work, get into your suitcase lining as well. That can provide a good place to stash things like copies (I wouldn't leave the actual passport there) that you don't want to carry around all day, presuming your lodgings are reasonably secure. Someone would have to be really, really motivated to rip apart your suitcase lining, at least when traveling in First World countries.

(As I've usually been a woman traveling alone, I don't have much experience outside First World countries.)

re:"Lighten up your wallet"

I carry a nylon cash wallet and cards in a holder, then keep the the two in separate pockets. If a thief demands my wallet, I'll throw the cash wallet over his head and run the other way.

re: "Keep a close eye on that debit card"

I only use ATMs that are inside of banks or inside of shopping malls.

re: "Watch out for pickpockets"

"Don't hang your bag on a chair"? Who would?

Not to be paranoid like a wild-west gunfighter, but sit in restaurants and cafes with your back to a wall or in a corner to avoid thieves. It's harder for them to steal if you can see them coming.

And use zippers and buttons on your pockets. If you make it easier for yourself to get out a wallet, you make it easier for a thief.

@risottto: "Worthless"? What are you doing, exchanging them on the street? Exchange rates are tolerable if you use a reputable foreign exchange bank.

Many/most banks offer traveller's cheques for no charge, and one can get the money back if they're stolen. Calling them "worthless" displays a lack of knowledge on your part.

I'm twenty-five. In the past six years I've traveled alone to Egypt, Morocco, Honduras, Mexico (six months), Spain (four months), Italy (eighteen months) and Sweden. I've never taken precautions other than putting my hand lightly on my purse in crowded places. My lack of concern includes leaving my wallet and camera on the beach in Ischia (Campania, Italy) while I went for lunch in a nearby restaurant, leaving hundreds of dollars in cash in a Honduran hotel room while I went scuba diving, leaving my laptop running on a table in my Mexican living room, in front of a window that didn't lock, while I went away for a week (I was downloading movies!). Once, someone stole the cell phone I got for free when I paid for thirty euros of air time. I went back to the Vodafone store and they let me keep the same number when I bought the same package again. I know exactly who stole it- a nice Romanian immigrant in Torino who had the courtesy to leave my wallet, which was also in the wide-open bag alongside the phone. I've never been unable to use an ATM (although I've had to ride a bus for thirty or forty minutes to the nearest town with an ATM) and I've never been unable to cash a traveler's cheque (though they are a waste of time and I haven't used them in a few years). Someone with reasonable intelligence who doesn't have problems at home is unlikely to have problems abroad. I think a much better thing to do is to get to know the people around you (others in the hostel, hotel staff, your neighbours if you're staying around for a while, etc.) and be nice to them. Tip housekeeping! Chat with the people at the front desk- about THEM, not about YOU! Smile and make eye contact with the people on the subway!

@speedwell, avatar of snark: It was a quote from Oceans Eleven.

@speedwell, avatar of snark:

"What if you were alone in a hotel room with a closed door for hours?"
     I recommend locking the deadbolt. I've had maids open my room door without knocking.

"...where am I supposed to keep a rolling laptop bag if not on the floor?"
     I will put my laptop bag on my lap in restaurants, if it will fit. Otherwise, I will hang the bag's shoulder strap from one of my knees and hold the bag between my legs.

@Jetgirly: You have remarkable luck.

Take if from someone who has been living in England and traveling for the past year. Your credit card companies will make it almost IMPOSSIBLE for you while abroad. Have your mail sent to a secure address in the US. This could be your sister, brother, mom, grandma - someone you absolutely trust without a doubt! If something goes wrong and they decide to send you a new credit card without warning you, that person can read the information and then warn you that your credit card will expire in a month. They can also then SEND you the card. I had this happen. It was a PITA. Also, they will gig your account from time to time and you will have to call their office. Do it on skype because it is free and easy! I have issued a travel warning for EVERY SINGLE trip outside the UK (which was a lot) and didn't have problems when away, but only when I came back to the UK - despite telling them about when I would be back!

I had THREE bank accounts while in the UK - two in the States and one in the UK. Take out money at ATM's because it will be cheaper than getting money at the exchange counter 99% of the time. Having a backup is important. Having a Chip and PIN even MORE important. DO NOT use your card for purchases, though. Use your Chip and Pin Debit in the country you have the account in. Only use your card to withdraw cash. That way, if you run into trouble, you are dealing with a bank for bank things and a credit card for all else. My father (the banker of 30 years) tells me this is KEY because fraud stuff is really difficult when using a bank card as a credit card.

When I travel, I take everything with me, but keep it on a lanyard that I got from my uni back home. I keep it under a jacket usually or very near my body. It is far less obvious as a wallet than a woman's one like my own Kenneth Cole huge one with a checkbook compartment! My boyfriend has been living overseas for 6 years and has only been pickpocketed ONE time when he wasn't vigilant about this system.

As for which ATM's to use, in Europe, it is almost impossible in a large city to conveniently find a bank ATM INSIDE the branch. The banks are almost always closed - open from 10-4 if you are lucky! They are also usually have cash machines outside. I always do a fraud check of the ATM before using it and lots have been adding new components to the ATM's to make them harder to use for these purposes.

And always remember that many places will NOT take your credit card, so always have CASH. In Italy, NO ONE took my card. In Germany, my card usually didn't work in their readers (mainly only had the chip and pin kind), and in England, you generally have to spend 5 to 10 GBP to use your card. ALWAYS have 50 euros/pounds whatever on you and no more. It will make your life so much easier and you can always take out more, but if it is stolen, your loss is really not a big deal!

@NeverLetMeDown: You'd think with the state of technology, they could just call up your records on the embassy computer, complete with color picture

@Radi0logy: Ugh

Thanks for the advice and all, but I'd rather use the pictured tactic. That wallet is going nowhere under his watchful (and suave) eye.

We've traveled to Russia several times, and each time took cash in a pouch on a string around our necks, under our clothing (you can get these at any travel store). You have to discreetly transfer it to a more accessible place before going to pay for something, but I felt much more secure than with it in a wallet or purse. We also only took a debit card and one or two credit cards, and we each had a different one, so if one was stolen, the other had some way to pay for things.

@P_Smith:

"Not to be paranoid like a wild-west gunfighter, but sit in restaurants and cafes with your back to a wall or in a corner to avoid thieves. It's harder for them to steal if you can see them coming."

It also makes it easier to see the zombies coming.

I have no problems because I never go anywhere. :P

@morlo: You'd think, but, alas, no.

@NeverLetMeDown: Definitely. This is excellent advice - and it's not like it's that difficult to photocopy your passport and carry an extra piece of paper with you.

If I'm travelling out of the country, I also look up in advance where the US embassy or consulate is in the cities I'll be going to. Saves time if you need it later, rather than trying to find an internet connection / look it up in a local directory / find someone who knows.

Traveled to Rio, Buenos Aires, and Iguacu recently - I made some mistakes, didn't make photocopies of anything. Fortunately, didn't pay that price. I did talk to someone who had her purse stolen - off the back of her chair. So, some people miss that one. Fortunately, I'm a guy, and don't carry a purse.

Brought one of those pouches that go around your neck, under the shirt for use in really crowded places - mostly the airports. Carried it when we were going shopping and I needed to carry a credit card.

For the most part, we travelled pretty light - In Rio and Iguacu, locked up stuff in the hotel safe. In Buenos, we stayed at a very small B&B. Kept our cards and passports in a drawer, no problems.

Generally, carried around a wallet with a small amount of money and some plastic. My grocery store savers card. My library card. Stuff that's easily replaceable and feels like something useful if I were mugged. Carried 100 or so Reais in Brazil and about 200 Pesos in BA. Carried more money in various pockets and kept buttons buttoned (cargo shorts). Had the wife carry other money, distributing it to various locations.

Never had any problems, always had enough walking around money and could always pull out the Credit Card if it was needed. Found that credit cards were accepted pretty much everywhere - travel guides said that credit cards were not accepted very widely in BA, but no such experience. Even small boutiques and restaurants generally had a credit card machine.

On the beaches in Rio, kept things down to our hotel keycard and a few bucks for drinks and snacks - less than 100 reai.

Oh - also always tried to carry/use small bills. When we changed things at the border, we requested a lot of denominations of 20. Broke bills when we could in more private locations.

100-denominated bills are always going to attract more attention, even in a place like BA where 100 doesn't go that far (worth about $30 bucks when we were there). 20's can be spread around and aren't likely to be noticed.

Think about how you act with your money at home and you should be fine there. One normally doesn't run around in the US flashing hundos. We use $20s for everything (thanks ATMs!).

If you're carrying a lot of cash and walking around crowded places, then distribute the cash. Keep your hands on/near any valuables. If you think you feel something out of place, then react - might save you from a pickpocket.

I felt a weird feeling on my rear end while riding the BA subway. Shot my hand straight back onto my back pocket, then looked behind me. Pretty sure the guy standing behind me (who exited at the next stop) was trying to pickpocket. He wouldn't have gotten much, unless he wanted to check out a book from a US library or wanted mediocre savings at Jewel, along with about $50 or $60 worth of pesos.

But, still saved me the annoyance of buying a new wallet.