How to guard against scams while on vacation
When on vacation or any extended trip, you could be vulnerable to scams, both at your home and your destination. Here are tips from AARP on protecting your identity and money:
• Stop mail delivery. This can be arranged online via holdmail.usps.com/holdmail or at your local post office. Not only does an overstuffed mailbox suggest you’re not home, but identity thieves also could snatch your bank and credit card statements. You can pause newspaper deliveries by contacting the paper.
• Tell your credit card companies when and where you’re traveling. This helps them better discern fraudulent charges. It also reduces the chance of your cards being frozen because of what the companies perceive as unusual activity.
• Choose ATMs wisely. ATMs in bank lobbies or other places with camera surveillance are less likely to have devices placed by scammers that are designed to capture your card information.
• Weed out nonessential items from your wallet. You don’t need to carry your Social Security card, for example, on vacation. If you’re going to a place with a high crime rate, consider carrying a secondary wallet with just a few dollars and some useless plastic cards. If mugged, hand that one over.
• Be skeptical of calls at hotels asking for financial information. A late-night call, supposedly from a hotel employee seeking to confirm your credit card information, may be a scam. Hang up and call the front desk to confirm.
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