Photocopy Bank Cards?

This is a good question, and I wonder also, if someone got their hands on the photocopies then doesn't it defeat the security ? I mean you can easily charge over the phone, with the name, no. and security # on the back.
I have done the photocopy thing myself, but having just found it in my suitcase that I hauled out to pack for an upcoming trip, I too thought ,,isn't this a risky challenge, now I have two items to keep secure, the orginal, and now the copy!

Before you travel, call the companies that you will be using while on vacation to let them know where you are going and what you should have/do in case of theft.

We make a list of our credit card numbers, security codes BUT encode them using a simple alpha/numeric substitution code along with the contact telephone numbers. For all practical purposes the code is unbreakable. Make a number of copies that we put in luggage and elsewhere. Also send an email to ourselves with the same information. This way if a copy gets into the wrong hands, the information is worthless to them. Worst case -- if we lost everything we could still get the information via an Internet cafe. That way we have the numbers and critical info but don't have to worry a lot about keeping it secure.

We keep our photocopies in the lining of our suitcase (I thought I read this tip in Rick's ETBD book), so a thief would have to look pretty hard to find them.

The back has the phone number you call if your credit card is lost or stolen. If your card is stolen, go immediately to a police station to report it. They will let you use their phones to call the company to put a hold on your card. At least that was our experience a few years ago after my husband was pickpocketed in Zurich Switzerland. The first thing the police did was hand us a pamphlet to be aware of pickpockets in 5 different languages. When my husband called they had already used his bank debit card for about $500. He was able to get the charge canceled.

I type the credit card info onto a word document with the acct number, the expiration and 3 digit security code, etc...and the phone number to call collect from Europe if stolen or lost...phone numbers, etc., for ATM debit cards as well. I reduce the size to about 6 or 8 font, cut into small size and keep in sweatproof ziplock bag in my moneybelt, along with passport and travel insurance info. It takes no space, weighs nothing, and gives me peace of mind. We also take extra debit cards in case the ATM machine eats or demagnetizes our card. In Europe, all the ATM machines we have ever found suck your card in, and you just hold your breath until the card comes back to you. :-)

Sharon, good idea.

A tip for all. Copying the back of the cards is important for having the numbers to call if they are stolen. BUT..... You need to remember that 1800 numbers do not work outside of the US so you will need to call your bank and ask for their international number.

On all of my CCs the international number is right next to the 800 number on the back of the card.

You can email a scanned image of the cards to yourself and/or put a copy in the bottom of your suitcase. I did both and was glad I did. The email option works best IMO as I quickly went to an internet cafe retrieved the information, found the VISA international number on their website and called & cancelled the card and luckily no one had a chance to charge anything in the meantime.

Make sure you can find the international numbers on your card's website or write them down. They are not on all of my cards. My stupid credit union has a 900# on their card - who does that?!?!? So I just called Visa since their logo was on my debit card.

The only problems with Kelly's recommendation is the accessing at an Internet cafe. You are accessing on a public computer with no assumption of security. Since she was obtaining the info to cancel the card probably no risk unless there is other information at her email site.

I like to store my info in a coded system similar to what Frank does. I store it in a Word Document on a Kingston Data Traveller Thumbdrive. I try not to use Internet Cafe's when accessing this info. It's coded anyway but just to be safe I try not to use one if I have my own or can use a travelling companion's laptop.

I also carry a mini copy in my moneybelt. As for the lining of the suitcase trick...it may fool some but hard core thieves know this trick also. (They probably could learn a lot from a site such as this...)

I also keep a copy of my travel docs with both a trusted friend AND relative. That way I can call two different sources if I'm in a jam and someone isn't home when a crisis hits.

I never use an ATM when the Bank is not open. Not even at home if I can at all avoid it. Lose your card once after hours and you will understand why. It's even worse to be away and have this happen.

I leave photocopies of credit cards at home in a secure place, where a friend or relative can get to them.

How I carry credit card numbers, is to write them down in my postcard address / phone home list.

eg (exempli gratia)

Violet Sanchez
666 Bluebird Court
Yocum, Kentucky 41472

(302) 333-4444

(345) 678-9014 ext 3

The Visa Card # is 4147 2345 6789 0123, the number on the back of the card is 666 and
the number I call to report the card stolen from overseas is (302) 333-4444.

I subtract 2 from the second to the last digit as a quick & easy way to encode the the credit card number.
I pick one simple method (like switch the last 2 digits) and encode all vital numbers using the same method.
When you get your stuff stolen, you'll be in a panic and it's there is no time for complicated decoding.

Just in case the list gets lost, I e-mail it to myself.

Oh yeah, I don't know anyone named Violet or anybody who lives Yocum.
None of the info in the example is real.