How to Best Protect your Identity while Vacationing this Summer
Summertime is upon us, and so is travel. If you are heading out for a long weekend or a dream vacation this summer, you will likely utilize your credit cards in one way or another.
With credit card usage, however, comes the risk of identity theft. One thing’s for certain: you don’t want to get caught in a financial pickle while enjoying your summer vacation, so here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your identity:
- Take the majority of your credit cards out of your wallet or purse and carry only one or two credit cards that you plan on using during your holiday. If your purse or wallet should be stolen it will make your life a whole lot easier to call just one or two credit card companies than a dozen. While you’re at it: take your social security card out of your wallet and store it in a safe, secure place, as there is never any reason to carry it around.
- Before embarking on your vacation, contact your creditors and let them know about your travel. If you let your creditors know the dates you will be traveling, it will avoid the frustration and confusion that comes along when they detect charges that are out of the ordinary for you and freeze your credit card.
- Don’t let your mail sit in your mailbox for an extended period. The last thing you need is someone gaining access to your personal credit card statements because you didn’t collect your mail for days. Instead, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect your mail while you are away or contact the post office and put a stop on your mail until you return.
- Keep all receipts from your credit card expenditures while you are away so that you can check your bill for discrepancies or errors.
- Put away the debit card while vacationing and instead use your credit card. If an identity thief gets a hold of your debit card, your checking account can be drained in a matter of minutes. Although you will likely be protected from unauthorized charges on your debit card, it would pose a lot more of a problem to have your bank account money stolen than it would be to have unauthorized charges on your credit card.
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