Now that the week to go home and visit the family is around the corner, or if you’re one of those lucky souls who get to take a winter vacation to go someplace warm, here are some up-to-date tips on protecting your identity and money while you travel.
Insurance
Like the very title of today’s blog suggests, it’s a great idea to insure your trip, both for the air travel and for your belongings during the trip. Your car or home insurance companies will offer special client deals, (but check; your home insurance might already cover any loss of belongings while you travel). Make sure that, whichever policy you use, it covers the loss of all the electronics you plan on taking with you.
Letting someone know
It’s always wise to leave your itinerary with a relative or friend. And, to protect your home for burglaries, try to mask the fact that you’re away: leave some lights on, or set a light timer to switch lights off and on in the evenings. If you live in a snowy area, consider asking a neighbor to shovel snow off your front steps while you’re out, in exchange for a nice souvenir.
Also, please let the Credit Union know when and where you’re travelling; that way your
At the airport
Last week I participated in a security chat hosted by Homeland Security where they spoke of consumer personal and financial safety during the upcoming holidays. They had several warnings to share with consumers and I’m mentioning them here because they are unusual:
- Airport free wireless networks: the TSA suggests that, if possible, we should abstain from using them. There are data thieves that buy very cheap tickets, without ever intending to fly, just to gain access to the gates section of major airports. Once there, they set up wireless networks using VPN (Virtual Private Networks) and they label them with names that you would expect from an airport’s free WiFi, such as “LAX Free Courtesy” or “SCL WiFi Free”; these networks are open so that anyone can connect tothem. The criminals have devices reading all the data that moves on the networks, and are capable of obtaining email accounts, passwords, and other credentials.
- It’s key that you check your phone and tablet to make sure that the option “Automatically connect to free networks” is turned off.
- If you find a USB drive stick at an airport boarding area, DO NOT use it. Cybercriminals like to walk around leaving these USB sticks for travelers to find; when you open them, they have a couple of pictures and a lot of hidden little malware that will become active the moment you plug the stick in. It’s a very smart tactic, since many of those travelling have laptops that they will use when travelling. Once you connect the USB they have access to everything you do thereafter.
Remember to update all the operating systems and apps on your devices before travelling.
On your trip, it’s best to avoid all open networks on any device. Keep in mind that using your debit or credit card numbers on an open network means, without question, that they will be stolen. If you must use your cards on your devices, your only safe bet is to open your own VPN with a strong password, and use that to transact business. Additionally, to avoid
Cash or card? Now that’s the question!
They used to say that you should never use cash when you travelled, to trust using travelers cheques or your bank card. But nowadays, when there are a twenty ways to steal our card information, are cards still the best?
Experts now recommend that you carry a bit of cash with you that you withdrew before travelling. However, always try to pay with a card, especially a credit card if you have one. Why? For starters, if you manage your finances well, you can pay the whole thing back next month and not incur any interest. But also, it’s a lot easier to get your money back with the Visa guarantees if you get ripped off and, if you lose your card, they will replace it very quick anywhere on the planet.
That’s all. Have a great trip, and happy holidays!
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