Emergency Services
Property Theft
Theft of money and personal belongings is a traumatic event. The Embassy can assist you in replacing your U.S. passport, but you will also want to take care of canceling stolen credit cards, replacing travelers checks, etc. Following are contact numbers for selected credit card companies:
Company | Local Phone | U.S. Phone |
American Express |
| (1-905) 471-9280 |
Diners Club | 221-2050 | (1-303) 792-0629 |
Mastercard |
| (1-636) 722-7111 |
Visa | Call the local bank | (410) 581-9754 |
One of the first things you should do in the event of a robbery or theft is to report the loss to the police. The police report that they issue may be crucial to any insurance claims you might make, and is also needed to replace your Peruvian entry stamp by the Peruvian Immigration Service.
See the State Department publication “Help for American Victims of Crime Overseas”.
Financial Assistance
One of the fastest ways to obtain cash is by Western Union wire transfer from a friend or relative in the U.S. Western Union offices are located throughout Peru, and the transfer time is only a matter of minutes in most cases. More information, including how to transfer money from the U.S. via Western Union, can be found on their website or by calling 1-800-325-6000 from the U.S.
Under certain, limited circumstances, the Embassy can make emergency loans to assist American citizens with their return to the U.S. A promissory note must be signed before such a loan is made, your passport will be restricted for return to the U.S, and you will not be issued a new passport until the loan is repaid.
See the State Department publication “Emergency Financial Assistance for U.S. Citizens Abroad”.