Going on a vacation trip is one of the best ways to de-stress. Unfortunately, while you’re on vacation, criminals are hard at work. Taking precautions before you leave home will make you feel safe and enjoy your trip. Here are simple steps that you can take to stop identity theft:
Empty Your Wallet. Dispose of all receipts or record them at home. Make sure your chequebook is placed in a safe place in your home and use your credit or debit card while travelling. You may also use a travellers’ check. Do not bring gift vouchers unless you plan to use them during your travel. Do not bring your government-managed savings or Medicare cards in your wallet.
Inform Your Credit Card Company. Make sure to advise your credit card company about your trip. It will protect you from unapproved credit card use. Informing the credit card company about where you are going can also help you avoid the hassle of suspending accounts when a customer’s credit card is used in a foreign location.
Bring an extra wallet. It would be smart to bring an extra wallet with you when you travel. Men usually put their wallet in their back jeans while women bring their wallet in their bag. You do not have to put all your pocket money in that wallet. It’s just a wallet that you do not care even if it is stolen. In the event of a robbery, you may hand it over while you have the other one safely hidden.
Do not post your photos on social media during the trip. It only allows criminals to know you are far from home. Photos you post on social media while you’re on a trip will give both the criminals and personality hoodlums the opportunity to do you no good.
Phone calls from fraudsters. In case you receive a call from an unknown person saying there’s an issue with your documents or visa and asking for your alternate card number, never give the information immediately as an identity theft may be trying to get your personal information. Tell them that you will get back to it and hang up. Make sure the call is real by confirming the call to the work area yourself. If there is a valid issue with your card, contact the company about it.