He was accidentally locked out of his phone when abroad for 2 weeks - USA Today

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Larry Castner was not expecting to be locked out of his phone for his two-week hiking trip through Bavaria this past June.

But when he woke on the first day of his trip, his iPhone had automatically updated overnight. Detecting a foreign server, it signed him out of his Apple ID and other accounts. The solution wasn't as simple as plugging his password in, since the Pittsburgh resident had moved to a password manager a couple years ago. That meant all his passwords were random 12 digits that were nearly impossible to guess.

"It was a two-week digital detox, unexpected," Castner said. Thankfully, he wasn't alone on his sojourn through the King Ludwig Way — a 75-mile trekking route named after King Ludwig II. His wife and daughter were accompanying him, plus three others, so he was able to use their phones to translate restaurant menus and navigate the trail on a mobile app.

Although Castner took his lack of a phone in stride, others may find their device more necessary.

Many travelers understand the importance of having their cell phone, especially when going abroad. It's our lifeline, helping us communicate and navigate foreign places. So when something happens with our phone abroad, it can feel nerve-wracking.

In the new Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey conducted by Global Rescue between June and July, one in five travelers said losing or having their device stolen is their biggest technology concern when traveling. The American respondents are also worried about connecting to a Wi-Fi network that turns out to be compromised.

"Today's traveler carries an entire trip inside a single device," said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies, in a news release for the survey. "When that device is lost, stolen or compromised, the disruption extends far beyond replacing a phone. Travelers can suddenly lose access to transportation, accommodations, financial accounts and critical communications when they need them most." 

Here's how to travel safely with your phone.

According to Richards, one of the worst situations that could happen to your phone abroad isn't just being physically stolen but having your data compromised. A foreign government or cybercriminal could obtain your sensitive information and use it against you or get into your financial accounts. When traveling to countries that are hostile to the U.S. or have less privacy around data, travelers should assume their information isn't secure and consider bringing a burner phone.

While it may be convenient, travelers should beware of connecting to just any public network. "Wi-Fi is notoriously insecure and provides a gateway into the device," Richards told USA TODAY. Hotels typically have trusted networks. Even when you do connect, use a VPN and don't pull up any sensitive information, such as bank accounts. If you're just transiting through a country, it may not even be worth powering on your device at all.

Scammers have also become more sophisticated and often masquerade as your hotel or airline with requests to click a link or call a number. "Be suspicious of everything that comes in that you weren't expecting or hasn't been properly vetted because, again, it could be coming from some of these criminal elements that want to extort you or want to steal from you," Richards added.

If you do notice a device has been compromised or you opened a phishing link, disable the network connectively immediately. "That at a minimum will stop whatever, if they have access to the device, will stop whatever it is that they're doing," said Richards, who also recommends travelers report the incident to authorities. Although police may not be able to do much, the paper trail will help if you're making an insurance claim.

Having your phone stolen can quickly make any trip go south. The first step you should take is filing a report with law enforcement. Since the process can be confusing, especially in a foreign country, Richards suggests asking your hotel for assistance. If you have access to another device, try to lock your phone remotely. Then report it with your carrier to suspend service and potentially help wipe your phone clean.

It’s also wise to do a backup of your phone prior to a trip.

Castner calls the incident a "cautionary tale." He acknowledges his phone's security features are still important, they just worked against him that time. For his upcoming trip to Canada, he's considering changing his Apple ID to a password he can remember then going back to the password manager when he's back home, just in case.

Many of us are glued to our phone screens and not paying attention to our surroundings, but that can lead us to dangerous situations. "I can tell you that one of the most pervasive problems with mobile device usage is that it absolutely destroys people's situational awareness," said Richards. Some people who are distracted by their phones could end up wandering into unsafe areas or be targeted by criminals, so keep your eyes up.