Many times we are so excited about going on vacation--focusing on packing, making sure we are complying with TSA rules and checking our itinerary—but forget to think about protecting our identity while we’re traveling. Don’t let your vacation be ruined by having a thief steal your personal information and take off shopping on your credit:
• Only take the credit cards and ID that you absolutely need. Leave the other cards and checks home.
• Make two copies of those cards and ID—leave one at home with a family member or friend whom you can call in case the cards are stolen. Keep the other copy in the safe in your hotel room in case the cards are stolen.
• Be sure to call your credit card companies to let them know you are traveling and spending in an area outside of your normal spending patterns—otherwise you may find yourself being denied credit at the point of sale since the credit card company will suspect ID Theft and put a freeze on the card.
• Be vigilant about protecting your cards and ID—if you go to hotel pool or beach and don’t want to take them with you, lock them up in the room safe.
• If you take your laptop with you, be careful where you use it.
• If you use the hotel’s computers, don’t log into your online backing account.
• Be sure your mail at home is safe—either put a hold on the mail through the postal service or have a neighbor gather it for you. Stop your newspaper delivery—you may save money but more importantly, are not advertising that you’re not home.
• Don’t put your Facebook status “on vacation” or tweet that you’re in another country—that’s an open invitation to burglars.
For more information, see Privacy Right’s Clearinghouse’s tips.
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