What to Do If Your Phone Gets Stolen While Travelling (Calm, Practical Steps)

You’re standing in a bright café abroad, one eye on the menu, the other on your map. A chair scrapes, someone brushes past, and in the next beat your pocket feels wrong. Too light. Your phone is gone.

It’s a nasty, hollow moment. Your camera, boarding passes, bank apps, messages, everything feels tied to that one slab of glass. But a stolen phone is scary, not terminal. You can steady the situation fast if you follow a simple order: lock it down in the first 15 minutes, report it properly the same day, then rebuild your travel set-up over the next 48 hours.

This guide walks you through those three phases so you can keep your trip moving and cut the risk of fraud.

The first 15 minutes: lock it down, protect your money, and get safe

The first quarter-hour is about speed and safety. Not heroics. Phones are stolen most often in crowds, on public transport, and around tourist pinch points. Recovery rates are generally low (recent studies put them in single digits), so your best win is stopping access before someone gets lucky with an unlocked screen or a saved password.

Get to a safe spot, then try a quick call and track it

Start by moving. Step into a shop, your hotel lobby, a well-lit café, or anywhere with staff and cameras. Don’t chase. Thieves count on you following, getting flustered, and making a second mistake.

Once you’re safe, do a quick “honest person” check:

• Call your number once.
• Send a short text like: “If found, please call this number/email. Reward offered.”

Sometimes it really has slipped from a pocket or been picked up with good intent. One call is enough. After that, switch to tracking.

Now use the official tracker from another device (a friend’s phone, a hotel computer you trust, or a tablet):

• iPhone: Find My (via iCloud.com or the Find My app on another Apple device)
• Android: Find My Device (Google’s service)

Your aim is to do four things quickly:

1. Locate it, if it’s still online.
2. Play a sound if you’re sure it’s nearby (useful in taxis, cafés, hotel rooms).
3. Lock it and display a message (for example, “This phone is lost. Call +44…”) so a finder can contact you without opening apps.
4. Mark as lost (or secure it) so it’s harder to use.

If the map shows a clear location, treat it like a pin on a weather app. Useful, not a reason to march into an unknown street. Don’t go alone. If you think recovery is realistic (for example, it’s in a hotel reception or a taxi rank), involve staff or local police and keep it calm. If it’s moving fast or sitting in a residential block, focus on protecting accounts instead.

Stop access to your accounts, SIM, and payments before they get in

Think of your phone as a bunch of keys on a keyring. If you lose the ring, you change the locks that matter first.

Start with your email password. Email is the master key for password resets. Change it from a trusted device, then check for any “new sign-in” alerts and security settings. After email, move in this order:

• Banking and card apps
• Apple ID or Google Account
• Social accounts (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, X), because they’re often used for scams
• Work accounts (if you’re travelling with a work phone or logged-in apps)

Where possible, sign out of other sessions. Many services show a list of devices. Remove the stolen phone and force a re-login everywhere.

Next, lock down two-factor authentication (2FA):

• If your 2FA codes go to the stolen phone by SMS, you’re exposed until the SIM is stopped.
• If you use an authenticator app, use its recovery method (backup codes, cloud sync, or account recovery).

Payments come next. A stolen phone is a favourite prize because contactless wallets are quick:

• For Apple Pay, use Find My and iCloud settings to remove cards, or suspend them through your bank.
• For Google Wallet, remove the device from your account and check wallet settings.
• If you’re unsure what to do first, Which? has a clear consumer rundown of immediate actions in What to do if your phone gets stolen.

Then call your mobile network provider (as soon as you can):

• Ask them to suspend the SIM or eSIM immediately.
• Ask about IMEI blocking, which can stop the handset working on many networks.
• Ask what you need for a replacement SIM/eSIM and whether it can be issued remotely.

One warning that saves people from a second headache: avoid doing all of this on random public Wi-Fi. If you must use Wi-Fi, choose a trusted connection (hotel network you can confirm at reception) and use a VPN if you already have one set up. If not, stick to mobile data on a friend’s hotspot.

For UK-based guidance that also applies abroad, Ofcom’s advice on costs and liability is worth a quick read: Ofcom guidance on lost or stolen phones.

The same day: report it properly so insurance and banks can help

Once the account doors are shut, shift to paperwork. It’s not glamorous, but it’s what turns “I’m sorry that happened” into refunds, replacements, and approved claims.

Most banks and insurers work off timelines. The earlier you report, the easier it is to show you acted quickly. Don’t wait until you get home, even if you’re embarrassed or tired.

File a police report that actually helps you later

Go to the nearest police station, or tourist police if your destination has them. If you’re staying at a hotel, ask reception where travellers should report theft. Staff often know the routine and may help you describe what happened.

Bring (or write down) as many of these details as you can:

• Time window (for example, “between 14:10 and 14:25”)
• Exact location (street name, station entrance, café name)
• Make and model (iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24, etc.)
• Colour, case type, distinctive marks
• Any tracking details you captured (only if safe to do so)
• The IMEI number if you have it (often on the phone box, original receipt, your network account, or device settings you saved elsewhere)

Ask for a written copy of the report, or at least a reference number and the station details. That single number is often the key that unlocks an insurance claim.

If language is a barrier, keep it simple and factual. Short sentences. Dates and times. If needed, ask a hotel staff member or hostel manager to help translate the essentials.

Call your bank and insurer with the right facts in hand

Next, ring your bank and card providers. Tell them your phone was stolen while travelling and you’ve already suspended the SIM. Ask them to:

• Flag the account for possible fraud
• Freeze cards if you suspect the phone was used for payments
• Check recent transactions with you in real time
• Put extra verification on your account while you’re abroad

Even if nothing looks wrong, it’s worth asking what “unusual activity” looks like, and what to do if a charge appears later.

Then contact your travel insurer or mobile phone cover provider. Most insurers ask for:

• Police report reference number
• Proof of ownership (receipt, contract, finance agreement, or carrier record)
• Proof you took reasonable steps (Find My marked as lost, SIM suspended, bank notified)

A small tip that helps more than people expect: write down what happened while it’s still fresh. Two minutes in your notes app (on a friend’s phone, or on paper) is enough. Where you were, what you were doing, when you noticed. When you fill in claim forms days later, your memory won’t feel so crisp.

For a UK checkpoint on consumer steps and reporting, Citizens Advice lays it out clearly in what to do if your mobile phone is lost or stolen.

The next 48 hours: stay connected, replace your phone, and rebuild your digital life

After the first day, the panic often fades and a new risk creeps in: fatigue. People relax, start logging in anywhere, reusing passwords, rushing set-ups. That’s when account takeovers and identity issues happen.

Your goal over the next 48 hours is simple: get connected again, rebuild access safely, and reduce the chance of repeat theft.

Get a working number again without opening new security holes

You don’t always need a brand-new flagship phone immediately. You need a way to communicate and access essentials.

Good options while travelling include:

• A spare device if you brought one (even an old handset works for calls, maps, and banking).
• A low-cost local handset from a reputable shop, used with a new SIM.
• An eSIM if your replacement phone supports it, or if you can activate it on a temporary device.
• Hotel Wi-Fi plus messaging apps (WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage) if you’re staying put for a day.

Be careful with shared computers in hostels, internet cafés, or hotel business centres. If you must use one, avoid signing into your email or banking. If there’s no choice, use private browsing, don’t save passwords, and change your password again later from a trusted device.

If your authentication relied on your stolen phone, use what you prepared (or wish you had):

• Recovery codes you stored elsewhere
• A second trusted device tied to your Apple ID or Google account
• Account recovery routes that involve ID checks (slow, but safer than guessing)

Also tell key contacts you’re on a temporary number. A simple message helps prevent scams like “Hi, new phone, can you send money?”

Replace the device and tighten your settings so it doesn’t happen twice

When you replace your phone, choose the safest route for where you are:

• Your network provider’s replacement options (sometimes they can courier to a hotel)
• A reputable retailer, not a street stall
• Waiting until you’re home, if the local market is risky or expensive

Before you restore everything, set up security in this order:

1. Strong passcode (avoid 123456, birthdays, or simple patterns)
2. Face ID or fingerprint
3. Auto-lock set to a short time
4. Tracking switched on (Find My or Find My Device)
5. Cloud backup checked and working
6. Wallet controls (require authentication for payments where possible)

Then tidy up habits that reduce grab-and-go theft. Think of it like walking around with your passport in your back pocket. You wouldn’t do it, but phones tempt us to.

Practical theft-reduction habits that work in real crowds:

• Keep your phone out of back pockets and open tote bags.
• Use a wrist strap or lanyard in busy areas and on public transport.
• Don’t stand at the curb with your phone held out like a signpost.
• Don’t leave it charging unattended in cafés, stations, or airports.
• Save your IMEI, carrier contact number, and Apple ID/Google account recovery info somewhere separate (paper in your luggage, or a password manager).

Next trip checklist (save this now):

• Turn on Find My or Find My Device before you fly.
• Check backups completed in the last 24 hours.
• Store your IMEI somewhere you can reach without your phone.
• Set a strong passcode and shorten auto-lock time.
• Decide what you’ll do for 2FA if your phone disappears.

Conclusion

A stolen phone can make a foreign city feel suddenly sharp-edged. Still, it’s fixable when you stick to order and pace. Lock it down fast, stop the SIM, protect email and banking first. Then file a proper report so banks and insurers can act. Over the next 48 hours, rebuild carefully so you don’t trade one loss for a bigger one.

Do one preventative thing today while it’s fresh: switch on Find My/Find My Device, check your backups, and write down your IMEI. Future you, standing in that café, will be grateful you did.