We wrangled five more tips to help keep you safe this summer while traveling (or whenever you decide to travel, for that matter). Identity thieves are constantly looking for opportunities to steal your most precious information – and typically identity theft is the farthest thing from your mind when planning a vacation. These five tips will help you stay safe:
Only carry essential documents with you.
While it’s likely you’ll need your driver’s license or passport to travel, leave other sensitive documents at home, like Social Security number or bank account information.
Alert your credit card company about your travel plans.
Most credit card companies have systems to alert you to fraudulent activity on your account. Giving them a heads up about your travel plans may make it easier to stop fraud if you lose your wallet or purse.
Refrain from using public computers.
While this may seem convenient, public computers may be an unnecessary risk to your identity. You never know what malicious software could be installed on the device, like key-logging software that saves your login details.
Watch what you spend.
While you may do this already if you’re on a tight travel budget, it can be easy to lose track of your spending while traveling. Check your statements regularly for suspicious charges when you return from your trip.
Password protect your phone.
Smartphone provide access to applications that include your personally identifiable information (PII) and account information. Password protecting your phone is a proactive step to help safeguard your identity.
Be careful with ATMs.
Skimmers or malicious card reader devices are not uncommon, and becoming more advanced. To be safe, skip the ATM and go directly to a bank branch to withdraw your money in person.
For more travel security tips, check out our blog post from last summer here.