A British tourist, Lydia Coates, has issued a warning to travelers after she lost her phone and driver’s license during a trip to Zante, Greece, and had her bank account drained of over $15,000. Coates, who went on a girls’ holiday in 2022, claimed that she kept her phone, ID, bank cards, and cash in a small bag throughout the trip, except when she was in the sea. However, when she returned to the boat, her phone was missing.
Coates became frantic as her driver’s license was attached to her phone, and she asked the cruise DJ to alert the other passengers. Unfortunately, nobody turned the phone over, and the tour organizers couldn’t find it after checking everyone’s personal belongings. Coates froze her bank accounts and checked her online banking accounts, which appeared untouched at first. However, when she got home, she discovered a bank transfer of $15,626 had been sent to someone named Jessica.
Coates realized that the scammers had accessed her online banking account because her driver’s license, which was attached to her phone, was used as her password. Coates contacted the Zante Greece police department and tour organizers, but they were of no help. She had to open an identity fraud protection scheme because the thief had access to everything in her phone, from her photos to her online banking details. They also still had her driver’s license.
Coates is now urging others to learn from her mistake and not keep their personal identification in the back of their phone case when traveling. She advises using pin numbers and passwords that aren’t related to birth details. In a follow-up video, Coates revealed that she was reimbursed after endless meetings with the bank and police officers, but the scammers got away with the money.
