SO i just came back from a GREAT trip to europe, but as i am unpacking i realized that all my credit cards are missing!! I have already called to cancel all the cards. I think the cards were stolen out of my bag in the hotel room. I kept the door locked at all times (the room did not have a safe) so i think it was an "inside" job. I called the hotel, and was told to call back tomorrow becasue the manager was not in. I am now worried about identity theft because the hotel took our passports and filled out some form, so they have all my information. So what should I do now?

"What should I do now?"

Relax and forget about it. You've already notified your credit card companies and you won't be liable for any charges. If someone has stolen them and is trying to use them, it is no longer your problem. Just a little bit of a headache to get your new ones. I'd also doubt that there is any connection between the theft of those cards and the required recording of your passport information by the hotel.

Do you mind letting us know what hotel you suspect?

I'm sorry about your loss and I know it's too late but I wouldn't have left the credit cards in the room. I'm sure everything will work out well in the end.

Why did you leave your credit cards in the room? I carry one set . my dh carries another . Did you pack them in your luggage?

I hope you can resolve this, but I'm sorry you were asking for teouble!

the hotel is ara pacis in Rome, The hotel its self was very disappointing even before i realized the cards were stolen, the hotel was suppose to have a lift, and they did, but the hotel was being renovated and the only working elevator was locked, and you could only use it if you had luggage,(the hotel it's self was on the 4th floor of a building) so me and my friend had to walk up 151 stairs (we counted several times), our mini bar was not working so all the drinks were warm, and the Tv satalite was not working 1/2 the time. The phone also had horriable connections, i think this was because it was a very old phone. The desk attendents were not very helpful. But the hotel had a great breakfast (price included), and the beds were comfortable, the heat worked well, and at times the room became too hot, but we simply opened the window. and that problem was solved.

I left them in my room because I thought the would be safer their and away from gypsy fingers, they were in a fanny pack style bag in my closed suitcase, The hotel actually seemed very safe, and because we locked our door I was not too concerned becasue only the staff had access to the room, i have stayed in many hotels in the philadelphia area and have never had an issue with theft, i also just realized that a rosery that i bought at the vatican was stolen.

When it comes to money, credit cards, passports, and such, don't trust to leave them in the hotel room. Unless you have a safe, but I don't (and this is just for myself) leave them in safes also. Nowhere you travel-domestically or abroad-should you assume that it is safe to leave your credit cards in a locked bag in your hotel room.

Besides calling the credit card companies as you did, I suggest you call the 800 numbers of the 3 credit reporting agencies and have them put a "fraud alert" on your account so that no one will be able to open any accounts using your data. Sorry that I don't have the numbers available at the moment, but they can be found on google. Always best to be on the safe side.

I don't recall Illusion saying that the suitcase was locked. It's been awhile since we were in Rome (going back this summer!), but we did not have a safe in our room either. However, the hotel had a safe so we left our credit cards and passports with the receptionist to put in the house safe without incident. The one credit card I carried with me in Rome was, in fact, stolen by a pickpocket, but it was easy enough having it cancelled immediately and replaced (thank you, American Express!).

This is yet another example why no one should ever leave anything of value in a hotel room, with or without a safe. Your essentials (Passport, ATM and credit cards, cash) should always be in a neck pouch or money belt and worn on your person safely under your clothes and jacket. Keep no more than 30 to 50 dollars worth of local currency in your regular wallet within easy reach.

Agreed about leaving nothing of value in a hotel room. The only problem being the definition of what is of value. While in Mexico city a friend of mine had lingerie stolen from her room (her husband was coming later to join her busines trip and she had brought a couple of Dior negligees with her.) Luckily she walked into the room as the maid was stowing her things in with the dirty linen - apparently she was going to sell them.

So, it's not just your credit cards and passports. Since then I always travel with a toy watch (Swatch or similar) and very minimal costume jewelry and no clothing that would attract a thief.

I'm sorry about your bad experience. Not letting the hotel staff off the hook, BUT this should be a lesson to you and others. It is truly crazy to leave valuables in ANY hotel room. Don't do it in Italy, London, NYC or Peoria. It is just one of those common sense things . . . .

You didn't miss them until you were unpacking, they could have gone missing anywhere. Don't leave cards around or in luggage, use a money belt.

it is possiable, but very unlikey that they could have been taken elsewhere. I kept it in my carryone, which i kept with me at all times, also the creditcards were with some money in a bag, within a fanny bag, sou it would have been very hard for a pickpocket to get into 3 separate bags (the carryone, fanny bad, and also the bag within the fanny bag) and only take my credit cards while leaving the american money.

I guess the problem I'm having is trying to imagine getting ready to leave Europe and doing a final packing, yet never once opening up that bag to make sure I had the credit cards, money, etc. in it. Maybe I'm overly anal, but I sure wouldn't have finished packing without double checking (probably two or three times in fact) to make sure such important things were actually in the little bag before leaving my hotel and the continent!

it seems very strange that the alleged thief did not take your american moneys..Which could have come very handy to someone..

I'm with patrick. why wouldn't you look to make sure you had those credit cards before you left the hotel? while we're at it, when was the last time you saw them -- a day or two before?

Can't imagine not checking, double checking and triple checking to make sure I have everything, especially something as important as credit cards, passports, plane tickets, etc before I walk out of the hotel room and fly away from that country.

Simply cannot imagine that. Nor can I imagine leaving them in the hotel room, unsecured, in the first place.

Trying to imagine that.....nope, still can't.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who was having trouble picturing that.

Wow. Even after 45 years of travel overseas, you would never, ever catch me not fussing over every single one of my valuable belongings the night before I checked out of my last hotel and again the morning I was leaving, and yet again once I got into the cab or however I was getting to the airport. It's not that I'm paranoid, I just have this conveyor-belt-type system of checking and re-checking every time I move from one place to another - credit cards, cash, ATM card, passport, hotel reservations, flight info, etc. I check it over and over and over. Yóu'd probably think I'm nuts, but say I'm sitting in a European train station waiting for a train. I probably check the destinations board against my ticket 10 times before the train actually arrives. Even though I have a really good memory for train numbers and times. It's just compulsive. But it works.

I even check while on the plane home to make sure that I am returning with everything I need. Hey - it passes the time on the long flight!

I'm with those who just don't understand how you could possibly have gotten all the way home to America without knowing your credit cards were missing.

And I never use a money belt or pouch. I don't think that would have saved you in this situation.