I often travel and sometimes to fairly remote places. How do I protect my money and gain access to it again if my phone is lost or stolen?
Do you have an Android or iPhone? On iPhone I think the app is protected by fingerprint/pin and for Android you can use a 3rd party app to lock the :mondo: app.
Otherwise, as long as they dont have your card your money should be safe. You can also reach out to :mondo: support. I think they happy to help with issues like that 
First thing I’d do is buy a replacement phone… assuming you haven’t lost your card too. Install the app and you should be good to go.
Well, to freeze card minimal requirements are: any phone (to make call) or android/ios phone with internet connection, some PC with internet connection to send an email to support.
I don’t think I’ve seen many users with experience over the phone.
Other phone can be used to login to your emails and to verify within the app, so you can freeze your card.
PC with some internet connection - send normal email to support (and/or potentially in the future: web app).
Overall, it’s a pain point if your phone is stolen too. If you have a phone, even without internet connection, you can call Monzo, so that’s good. But with no phone+card + no internet, touugh.
New idea one:
I kinda wish there was a secret option to send a text with emergency passcode and your email address. It’s a lot easier to convince stranger to allow you to send text, than borrowing their phone for international call. All user would need to do is to memorise phone number for this text + passcode.
Passcode would be used only to freeze card (never to unfreeze it), so worries about revealing passcode to stranger.
New idea two:
Option to request callback in emergency situations via text or by leaving short voicemail. You buy any cheap phone for it + sim, or even give Monzo number of a telephone box or hotel. This would only work if Monzo is quick enough on their feet and call back is in less than 10 mins. Request should come with email addres.
It would allow user to freeze card too, but also request new card, provide address and so on (someone posted recently that Monzo even shipped their replacement card abroad, but I can’t find it, sigh!)
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Hey @jph 
Thanks for getting in touch! We think Monzo is an awesome card for travelling, but we also know there are more risks when using your card in some countries 
If you lose your card, you can freeze it in the app straight away, and if you speak to support we can help figure out how to get you going again quickly. If you lose your phone, your card will still work, but you should give us a call on +44 20 3322 4650 so that we can log you out of the Monzo app 
And since log in to the Monzo app happens through the magic link, no one can access your Monzo account without having access to your email
More generally, we always recommend that you have a secure passcode on your phone so that even if someone were to gain access to your phone they can’t access any of your data. And of course, never keep your PIN number written down with your phone or your card 
Have a great trip 
️
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This is the first time I’ve seen any mention of an emergency number that can be used from abroad. Is it an official emergency 24hr number?
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Hey @BobT there’s a UK (0800) number printed on the back of your card 
and we have an international number for emergencies 
The quickest way to get in touch with us is nearly always through the in-app chat though 
@samw: I see an 0800 number on the back of my card, not helpful when travelling abroad!
BUT. If someone has my phone, they have my emails as well, if my phone is not locked (or someone had a peek and knows my code). So what good would it do if Monzo team logs me out, if they can simply request magic link and click it from emails on my phone as well? 
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@BobT is correct though, this is the first time I’ve heard about this international number, and I’m around here every day!
The lack of internationally available phone support for emergencies while traveling has been an issue here in the past. If this number is now available, could it be noted that it needs to be advertised better?
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hey @samw maybe worth including this prominently on your web page for those that don’t religiously read the forum ?
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Yes, if someone has access to your email, they can just log back in to the Monzo app (there is some level of further security around this planned for the current account).
Your best option to prevent this would be to use strong security on your device, and additionally use your email provider’s login revocation (if possible) and your phone platform’s remote lock/wipe functionality (Android Device Manager or Find my iPhone).
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Thanks for the feedback everyone! The best ways to contact us are through the in-app chat or by emailing help@monzo.com 
We’re looking at ways to make phone support better, and I’m going to pass these comments through to our product team so we can make it easier for you to reach the information you need in cases like this
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Well, lockscreen is probably most people will go for and it’s faulty solution, since can be easily guessed based on finger movement. Since many users won’t go as far as securing email with another layer of pin/password, there’s no way to lock monzo account from being logged in again, as long as someone has access to your emails.
Thief would need to know email address associated with Monzo but that can be assumed looking at my mailbox (I have 5 email addresses, but still easy).
I have pin on Monzo app now (One Plus Two and oxynogen’s app locker), but not all users have access to it. Until Monzo rolls out additional layer of security on app there’s no other way to keep someone out of Monzo app if they have access to my emails (additional app security wasn’t confirmed yet, I think).
Some places in some countries it’s very difficult to get Android or iPhones let alone make outgoing calls.
When you get a new phone, how do you block the old phone and activate the new one? Especially as they will have access to your email, your 2fa, everything?
And sorry marcel_w but third party app locks really aren’t a solution.
It depends on who supplied your lost phone. With my work phone I’d contact work who would arrange for it to be blocked via our service provider. Your service provider should be able block your SIM card and phone too if you give them your IMEI number.
In any case some kind of effective security login for your handset should be a minimum.
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I’m talking about the app. BLocking the SIM and IMEI will not affect people accessing the app. Almost all phone log-ins are all trivial to bypass.
That’s entirely your choice. I only suggested what I’d do if I was travelling somewhere so remote that I couldn’t replace my lost phone (as you suggested).
Tell that to the FBI who spent considerable time and money just to hack into an iPhone 
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Then they can’t compete with alternatives which don’t have these issues. And phone encryption has nothing to so with SIM or IMEI locks.
What alternatives are you thinking about, and what scenario do you see happening?
E.g. they have my phone, and transfer all my money out
Or they have my phone and wallet, and ATM all my money out