It’s that time of year when many families are making their holiday travel plans to spend time with families and loved ones. Don’t let fraud or identity theft put a damper on your holidays. Here are some tips to keep your trip enjoyable:
- Make copies of your ID and passport – bring one copy with you, along with the original, and store it separately from the original. Leave an additional copy at home with a friend or relative. If you do happen to lose or get your original stolen, you will have a backup available.
- Give your bank a call and let them know your travel plans. This will help you avoid account holds or transaction rejections while out of town.
- Remove any unwanted and unneeded items from your wallet or purse. In addition to lightening your load, which is nice while you are doing some holiday shopping, it will limit what could be taken if your wallet or purse was lost or stolen.
- If you do need some of these cards, but just not every day, consider storing them in the hotel safe or other secure location until they are needed.
- Be sure to plan your route in advance. Research and review guides and customer reviews on your trip, the hotel or the area.
- Avoid oversharing information online while you are traveling. It’s also a good practice to wait until you return home to post photos and updates. This can help protect you from people lurking around waiting for you to say you’re away so they can break into your home.
- Take a few precautions and make sure your holiday adventures are merry and bright!