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Technology has advanced so that photos on your cell phone can quickly help save your missing valuables while traveling. When anything is missing, lost, or stolen while traveling, it can be extremely stressful. Your cell phone can actually facilitate the return of valuables if you take pictures of your valuables prior to departure.

  • If belongings are damaged inside of your luggage and you have photos, it becomes easier to file a claim with the airline.
  • If anything is stolen, the photos will help you when you file a police report.
  • If any identification needs to be replaced, the photos will help you take swift action.
  • If anything is missing, a cell phone photo will expedite its return on an airline, at a hotel, in a restaurant, or a tourist location. Lost items are oftentimes turned into a certain area. You’ll have to be able to identify the item to collect it and cell phone photos facilitate those returns.

cell phone photos while traveling

Take Photos with Your Cell Phone of Valuables

What items should you take cell phone photos of prior to your next trip?

  1. Passport – A photo of your passport can expedite a replacement or help you while traveling abroad. Take two physical copies of your passport when traveling abroad, but please guard them.
  2. Identity and Driver’s License – Cell phone photos help expedite replacements or return.
  3. Credit Cards – Photos of both sides allow you to cancel credit cards faster so you don’t have to search for direct phone numbers or credit card numbers.
  4. The Exterior of Your Luggage – A photo of the exterior of your luggage can help the airline find it or help you file a claim.
  5. The Contents of Your Luggage – Don’t leave it to memory. Instead, lay everything out on your bed so you know exactly what was inside of your luggage so you can report anything missing.
  6. The Exterior of Your Backpack – A photo of the exterior of your backpack may help file a claim or to locate the backpack faster.
  7. Contents of Your Backpack – Don’t guess what was inside of your backpack, but guarantee what you have inside of your backpack.
  8. The Outside of Your Handbag – A cell phone photo will make it easier for a hotel to find your handbag, file a claim, or to identify an item for return.
  9. The Contents of Your Handbag – A cell phone photo of all of your contents or valuables will be helpful if you need to file a police report.
  10. The Interior Contents of Your Wallet – A cell phone photo of everything inside of your wallet will help you to cancel or replace any cards faster.
  11. Valuables – Cell phone photos of jewelry, watches, or rings can also accelerate their potential return or help in filing a police report.
  12. Cell Phone – Have your travel partner take a cell phone photo of your cell phone and its cover. You never know if someone will turn in your phone to Lost and Found on an airline or other location.

After You Take Your Photos

Be sure to send a copy of those cell phone photos to a password protected cloud location, your home computer, and a relative’s computer. An extra set of photos is important in case your cell phone goes missing. If you’re traveling abroad, you can quickly call your relative to access certain photos you need or access them from the cloud via your email account.

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Travelon Classic Backpack

Shop Travelon Classic Backpack

There are two primary things you must do to avoid theft and protect your valuables when visiting tourist locations or encountering large crowds.  One, you need to be alert to your surroundings.  Be alert to people trying to distract with questions or performances. Children and women are equally as skillful as men are when it comes to distraction and thievery.  Distracted tourists looking at sights or talking to “friendly” strangers are easy and lucrative targets. They know travelers have cash, valuables, a phone, and potentially even a laptop in a backpack. Second, you need to protect your valuables so that thieves can’t access them when they do target you. Thwart their efforts with pickpocket proof travel gear. The bonus is you are a little more relaxed knowing your gear is safe.

AVOID THEFT IN CROWD DISTURBANCES

Travelon Heritage Backpack

Travelon Heritage Backpack

A disturbance in a large crowd is oftentimes a way for thieves to bump into targets to steal valuables. It can take only a second or two to steal your wallet from your pocket, a handbag, or a backpack. To eliminate the opportunity from becoming a victim, both men and women need to be smart about the approach of strangers. When a disturbance or disagreement breaks out, hold onto your valuables, handbag, and wallet until the disturbance is completely over and you are away from the crowd. The same thing goes for if you’re watching street performers, enjoy the show, but know where and how you’re protecting your valuables first.

PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES TO AVOID THEFT

These are a few simple tips to keep your items out of the hands of thieves while you’re in a crowd.

  • Wear pants with buttoned or zippered pockets to prevent pickpockets from stealing items from those pockets. Turn regular pockets into theft proof pockets by having velcro sewn inside the very top of the pocket.
  • Only keep a small amount of money, one credit card, and one ID in your wallet.
  • Never publicly check your valuables because a thief may be watching you and will them know which pocket to target.
  • A smooth leather wallet is the easiest to slide out from a pocket and steal so use an anti-theft wallet.

Anti-Theft Wallet to Avoid Theft

AVOID THEFT BY PICKPOCKETS

  • Do not carry your wallet in an open handbag or tote bag without a zipper. Use the zipper to keep your bag closed, and never place it on the ground. If you must, straddle it with both feet and squeeze it tight until you are ready to pick it up.
  • Use a handbag with anti-theft features, that is more difficult to open than a regular bag.
  • A crossbody purse, where the straps lay diagonally across your body, is a visual deterrent to thieves.

Crossbody handbag to Avoid Theft

  • Never leave your handbag unattended in a tourist spot, crowded concert, grocery store, or streetside flea market. The point is not to tempt anyone either.

BE PREPARED IN CASE YOU BECOME A VICTIM OF THEFT

  • Keep a copy of your ID, passport, credit cards, and airline tickets in the safe of your room or accessible via the internet in a password-protected document or file.
  • Consider leaving expensive jewelry at home or reducing the amount of jewelry you wear.
  • Carry your cash in a money belt.  Newer style underclothing money belts fit passports and have built-in anti-theft features too.

This is a traditional Travel Money Belt that is Airport Security-Friendly Won’t Set off Alarm & Hides Bills

Money Belt to Avoid Theft

  • Use an RFID blocking protection backpack, handbag, or wallet to protect your identity from e-thieves.
  • If using a rental car and you can’t carry your valuables with you, hide them inside the trunk or in a locked glove compartment and always lock your car.

Taking just a few precautions to protect your valuables will give you peace of mind on your next trip.