The Travel Defence Kit
What to actually do in the first hour when something goes wrong overseas.
Plenty of guides tell you what to watch out for. This one tells you what to do in the moment — the first 60 seconds, the next 30 minutes, the rest of that day — when the wallet’s gone, the cop is asking for cash, or the drink hits wrong.
What’s inside
13 in-the-moment response playbooks. For each: what to do right now, what to do next, what to do later today. Plus the exact words to say, what NOT to do, and who to report to.
- Pickpocketed or phone snatched
- Scammed, overcharged, or short-changed
- Shaken down by a corrupt or fake police officer
- Passport lost or stolen
- Drink spiked
- Surrounded or aggressively approached
- Mugged or threatened
- ATM or card skimmed
- Express kidnap / forced ATM
- Sexual assault response
- Medical emergency abroad
- Held or detained at a border
- Plus a pre-trip checklist that takes 10 minutes and saves you hours later
27 country references
Emergency numbers, embassy guidance, known scam patterns, and reporting nuance — for the destinations our travellers actually go.
Built by Mindshield Vibe
Mindshield Vibe is the Dive Deep Dialogues manipulation-defence app aimed squarely at 16–30-year-olds — recognising and responding to the patterns of pressure, isolation, and false authority that show up in dating, work, family, online life, and yes, travel. (An adult-targeted Mindshield app is on the way.)
The kit is one of 14 tools inside the full app. Free, no signup required, works on your phone.
Explore the full Mindshield Vibe appA look inside
Here’s how one scenario reads in the kit.
You’ve been pickpocketed
Wallet, phone or passport is gone from your pocket or bag. You realised in the last few minutes.
- 1.Stop. Don’t chase — pickpockets work in teams and the runner is bait.
- 2.Pat down every pocket and bag compartment before assuming it’s gone. Adrenaline makes you miss the obvious.
- 3.If your phone is gone, ask a nearby business to use a phone — they will usually help.
Cancel cards. Lock your phone remotely. File a police report (you’ll need the report number for insurance and embassy). Tell your accommodation...
Don’t chase a runner into a side street. Don’t pay a “fine” to anyone in the street. Real police do not collect fines in cash from tourists...
Each of the 13 scenarios reads this way. Grab the full kit above.
Why we made it free
The patterns are universal; the response is teachable; people get hurt for want of a 10-minute read. If the kit helps you, the full Mindshield Vibe app does more of the same.
Updated quarterly
Embassy numbers change. Scam variants evolve. We refresh the kit every three months and re-issue an edition number so you always know what you’re holding.
No nonsense, no spam
You’ll get the PDF link, then occasional Dive Deep Dialogues emails — useful or unsubscribe. We never sell your email.