So what can you do to protect you and yours, especially while traveling this summer?
Here are four tips on what you can do when you leave on vacation this summer to better protect yourself and loved ones from identity theft.
4 Tips to Minimize the Possibility of Identity Theft
1. Strengthen your passwords
First and foremost, it’s important that you check the status of your passwords (have they been compromised?) and then strengthen them. This is a good practice to do every four to six months regardless of if you plan on traveling or not, but is especially important to do before a big trip. First go to Have I been Pwned, enter the various passwords you use, and see if they’ve been leaked. If they have been, change them ASAP!
2. Forward your mail
Don’t let your mail end up in someone else’s hands. If you know you’ll be gone for a while, have your mail forwarded to a trusted friend or family member. This way, no sensitive information ends up in the wrong hands, and there won’t be a tell-tale sign you’re out of town by the growing pile of mail outside your front door.
3. Ensure your passport is secure
To ensure your passport information is secure, and that you have it at all times, first make various copies of it and keep them in different parts of your luggage. When you arrive at your destination, put your passport in a secure area, like the lock box in a hotel room or hidden away in your locked luggage in an Airbnb.
4. Protect the personal information in your wallet
Only carry what is absolutely necessary when you travel. Only plan to use one card? Only bring that one card. When it comes to personal identification, never carry your passport around as an ID. Bring a driver’s license or another form of identification that has your birth date. Take out all notes you might have with passwords, your social security number, or other important information.
Only carry what is absolutely necessary when you travel. Only plan to use one card? Only bring that one card. When it comes to personal identification, never carry your passport around as an ID. Bring a driver’s license or another form of identification that has your birth date. Take out all notes you might have with passwords, your social security number, or other important information.