Keep your identity safe – even while you’re on vacation this summer

(I-Newswire) June 24, 2010 - Identity fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country, but many people have little or no concern about it happening to them while they are on vacation.

However, most people do take some precautions to reduce risk, such as removing unneeded identification or credit cards from a wallet before traveling. AAA recommends that travelers take the following precautions before leaving for summer vacation:

• When planning your trip, be skeptical of any e-mail purportedly from one of your travel providers that directs you to a website in which credit card or personal information is entered. One of the largest forms of fraud is "phishing," in which victims receive an e-mail that directs to a phony website that is an exact copy of a real website and requests users to enter personal and financial data, supposedly to verify accounts.

• Also when planning your trip, do not give out your credit card number, Social Security number, birth date or other personal information over the phone unless you are familiar with the merchant or you have initiated the call.

• If you plan to bring a smart phone and/or a laptop on the trip, you can create a password-protected file on it ahead of time to store your credit card account numbers and issuer contact information, allowing for quick reporting if credit cards are lost or stolen.

• When making travel reservations or any purchase over the Internet using a credit card, make sure that the site provides a secure, encrypted location for you to enter your credit card information (the prefix address at the top of the Web site should be https:// rather than http://).

While traveling, AAA urges you to be very aware of your surroundings. Tourist areas can be havens for pickpockets. Consider using a securely strapped travel wallet to store your credit cards and identification. If you are carrying a purse, keep it with you, zipped, secure and visible to you at all times.

Check your bank and credit card activity online and/or at an ATM at least once during the trip if you are able to do so in a safe manner. This will help you be sure you aren’t a victim of “skimming,” which often occurs in restaurants or bars when someone scans a credit card in a machine that can retain and regurgitate credit card numbers. Report any errors you find immediately.

Make sure to keep your receipts for your ATM, credit and debit cards. When using your personal identification number, using a credit card, or presenting your driver’s license, shield them from the view of bystanders. It is advisable to use your credit card, rather than your debit card.

If you travel by car, don’t leave any valuable items lying in view in the vehicle. If you must leave valuables in the car, make sure they are out of sight.

If you would like to learn how LifeLock can help protect you from identity theft please click here.

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