Introduction

Losing your phone, wallet or keys can disrupt your ability to travel, communicate and spend money. Loss of access to phone apps, stored passwords and physical identification items can further disrupt access to a wide variety of personal and professional resources.

Purpose

This article covers some of the basic challenges that come with losing important items and can serve as an outline for a Member Services conversation with a Navigator, available 24/7.

Table of Contents

First 60 Minutes

Emergency Contact Notifications

If you have lost important items, you may wish to notify one or more of your emergency contacts or anyone affected by the lost items such as those who share keys or accounts that may be lost or at risk.

Lost Keys Notifications

If you have lost keys, swipe cards or other devices that provide access to secure locations such as home or workplace, it may be valuable to notify those involved. If you have lost keys or other forms of access devices for your home, you may wish to notify family or roommates affected.

Workplace Notifications

If you have lost workplace items like keys, access devices or workplace identification, your workplace may have policies and procedures that cover those items. You may wish to inquire if your workplace has such policies.

Financial Account Freeze

If you have lost credit or debit cards, you should contact your financial institutions as soon as possible to prevent unauthorized purchases. Some banks or credit card companies will allow you to "freeze" your account briefly to give you time to try to locate the lost card(s).

Phone Tracking

There are a variety of features in most phones that allow the owner to try to locate their lost phone on a map from another phone. Some apps allow owners to cause their phone to make sounds, so it is easier to locate.

Phone Modes & Alerts

Some phones, cellular providers and apps may allow you to set a message on your lost phone's screen asking anyone who finds it to help return it to you.

Phone Follow Up Actions

Phone Erasing

If you are unable to recover the phone, you may wish to erase its contents to provide additional protection to your identity and data. Typically, the phone has to be turned on and have power for it to be successfully erased.

Removing Phones from Accounts

After you have erased your personal data from your lost device, you may also wish to remove the device from your accounts.

Replacement Devices

If you have insurance that covers the loss of your device, you may wish to initiate a claim. If you do not have a satisfactory replacement device you may wish to contact your service provider, phone retailer or website to check the timing on replacement devices.

Restoring from Backup

Depending upon how you backup your messages, photos, emails and other information, you may have to take steps to restore cloud based backups to your new devices or restore other backup data from your computer or other sources.

Financial Account Follow Up Actions

Financial Account Unfreeze

If you find your credit card(s), you can unfreeze your accounts with your financial institution and use your cards without having to replace them. If you do not find them, you can permanently cancel those cards and order replacements.

Financial Account Cancellation

If you are unable to find your lost credit card(s), you can permanently cancel them. Prompt notification helps reduce the cost of fraudulent transactions and gets you replacement cards sooner. Check with your card issuer that monthly recurring charges will continue to be processed after changing card numbers.

Financial Account Replacement

Once you have canceled your credit or debit cards, you can order new cards to be mailed to you. Some card issuers like banks with local branches may allow you to pick up a replacement card in person.

Financial Account Replace While Traveling

Replacing credit or debit cards while traveling may be more challenging, especially if you have limited cash or have to spend money in foreign currency while waiting for replacement cards.

Other Wallet Follow Up Actions

Identification Replacement

Driver’s licenses, vehicle registration and other official identification documents tend to have a clearly defined process for requesting replacements. It’s important to get started on a replacement ID early, since a lack of official ID may slow or hinder other recovery activities.

Other Item Replacement

If you don't have a clear sense of all of the cards and other items in your wallet, you may wish to make a list so it is easier to replace important items if it becomes necessary. These may include membership cards, rewards programs and similar items.

Lost Keys Follow Up Actions

Accessing & Securing Your Home

If you have already notified others affected by lost keys, you may then consider if you are able to access your home without your keys. For example, if someone else is home, if you have a spare key somewhere or other options for safely accessing your home.

Locksmith

If you are unable to safely access your home without your keys, you may wish to contact a reputable locksmith who is able to help you access your home without causing damage and replace the lock so that your lost keys will no longer open it.

Accessing & Securing Your Car

If you are locked out of your car while traveling or away from your home it can present additional challenges. Some car manufacturers have the ability to remotely unlock car doors in emergencies or urgent situations such as being locked out of the car. In situations where the keys are inside of the car, some roadside assistance providers and some law enforcement professionals may be able to help unlock some types of car doors. Attempts to unlock the door with devices or hooks may be successful, but may also damage parts of the weather stripping or the window.

Replacement Keys

If it is not possible to recover he lost keys, it may be necessary to order replacement keys. Some makes and models require replacement keys from the manufacturer or dealer only. Other makes, models and vintages may be available through aftermarket providers.

What you stand to lose

Personal Safety

Losing any of these important items can prevent you from accessing your car or home and disrupt your ability to communicate. These situations can increase your vulnerability to criminal activity, fraud and exposure to bad weather conditions.

Money

There is a clear financial impact to losing your wallet, keys or phone and additional risk that those items could be used to create fraudulent transactions and steal goods and information.

Spending Money

Losing your phone or canceling your credit cards may temporarily prevent you from spending money which can disrupt many day-to-day activities.

Identity

If you lose official identification such as a driver's license or passport, it could be used to access additional resources or create new accounts for future criminal misuse.

Communication

Losing your phone can mean losing easy access to your contacts. It can be hard for people to communicate effectively with their phone.

Peace of Mind

Losing a phone, keys, identification or personal possessions as a result of theft can be very disruptive.

Member Services

Noble Navigators provides guidance, direct action and ongoing support services for more than a dozen important life situations, including providing care for others. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact Noble Navigators 24/7 for live assistance

Behind the Scenes Information

A little bit of advance planning or quick action can help contain the problems created by losing important items like wallet, keys or phone.

Key Terms

Credit Report

A credit report is a summary of financial information collected on you by an ecosystem of companies. Reports often include a "credit score" or other ratings that indicate a company's estimation of your likelihood to pay back borrowed money.

Affidavit

A sworn written statement presented to an authorized governing body.

Credit Freeze

A "credit freeze" is a broadcast / communication that a consumer can make to financial or lending institutions that indicates you do not wish to open any lines of credit, making it harder for criminals to fraudulently open accounts associated with your credit information.

Sentimental Value

The personal emotional or other non-financial value you may place on something.

Locksmith

Professionals who specialize in installing, repairing and opening physical locks that secure things like vehicles and properties.

Photo ID

Photo IDs are often printed materials that contain a photograph, text information and a bar code, chip or other machine-readable component and usually include authentication features and plastic lamination.