Just got back from vacation and the family had a wonderful time. While I was gone I received an email from Debix – an identity theft protection service – that listed some tips on how to protect yourself while on vacation (of course they waited until I already left!). I thought I would share a few of their tips with you:
- Make a copy of your travel documents, for example your passport, drivers license, airline tickets, hotel reservations. Leave it with a trusted friend in the event you need help. Having an advocate at home to help resolve problems can make a difference.
- Call your credit/debit card company in advance and let them know you are traveling. In a down economy, credit card companies have increased fraud verification and may call your home phone number to verify unusual transactions. If the card company cannot get a hold of you, they may shut off your card – obviously not a good thing while on vacation.
- Clean out your wallet or purse and leave all non-essential information at home. Then make a list of what is still in your wallet. That way if your wallet or purse is stolen, you have minimized what was taken and have a quick list to recover.
- Put your mail on hold (you can do this online). Also, put your newspaper on deferred delivery. Anything that piles up at your house gives thieves a clue that you are not home.
- Keep an eye on your cell phone. Many people are storing user id’s and passwords and other personal information on their cell phones.
- Do not access bank accounts from computers other than your own. Public computers may have spy-ware or malware installed which could record everything you type.
If you are interested, Debix has more information and stories at their site – www.debix.com.
For me, I stop the mail (do not get a paper), have neighbors watch over the house, we carry a little bit of cash that my wife and I split up between us, and we do empty our wallet/purse to minimize loss. I have never called a credit card company to tell them I am traveling and I have never had a problem, but it might not be a bad idea (I guess I would feel a little uncomfortable telling a stranger I am on the road!). Making a copy of my info is a good idea that I might start doing. And as for my cell phone, there is nothing on it. My wife tends to not carry her pocketbook around while on vacation – extra weight plus it is an easier target for thieves. It’s sad we have to take so many precautions, but it is a reality.
I must be getting old because a few years ago they would have mentioned using traveler checks instead of carrying cash – I never hear about those anymore. I guess plastic really is king!
I hope you have a happy and financially safe vacation this year!
Michael and Madoff
by JD on June 30, 2009
The King of Pop. The King of Wall Street. Michael Jackson and Bernard Madoff both crashed and burned.
Mr. Jackson was about 500 million dollars in debt -try to get your mind around that number. Mr. Madoff went through billions of other peoples money. Two people who had so much, yet have so little to show for it. One is bankrupt and gone, the other is disgraced and facing 150 years in jail.
Money is a very powerful thing. And although we do not like to think about it much, money has the power to destroy – ourselves, our families, and others.
Besides all the gossip, all the hype, what can we personally learn?
I am sure there are many more lessons that could be learned. One more is that it is easier to learn from other people’s mistakes than learning from your own. Feel free to add your own insights in the comments.
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