Beware of Identity Theft When You Travel

Summer is here and probably you are already traveling or still planning a vacation. Here we are giving a few tips that you must consider in these days of identity theft and other kinds of frauds while you are out in the middle of your travel:

Interact with trustworthy companies only for your travel needs. If you're not sure about a company's reputation, check it out with the Better business Bureau ( BBB) or the Attorney General's office in the state in which it's based.

Leave your Social Security Number at home. Don't pack any ID that has your number on it. If it's on your medical insurance card, or other document you must have, keep the card very secure.

Be telephone Smart. Don't give out your credit card number over.

Tame the Internet. Don't feel obligated to fill in every part of a website form. If you can't access the site without providing personal information--such as a home address, your age, or your credit card number -- go to another site.

If you are using a public computer in a hotel or airport, make sure that you properly log out from your bank of email accounts and that the browser does not remember your log-in name and password. A simple technique is to close down the browser and open it again and check if the sites you visited are still remembering your account information.

Pay by credit card. Not only does this protect you financially-- if you don't get travel product you were promised, you can request that the charges can be removed -- it also protects your identity better than payment by check or debit card.

Prune your wallet. You don't need all your credit cards on a trip. Take just two. Leave one Locked in the hotel safe and carry the other in a front pocket, secured with Velcro or some other pick-pocket-deterring fastener. Also, don't bring checks or a checkbook with you

Educate yourself. To learn about the latest scams, check out the Identity Theft Resource Center's website at http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ or call the center at (858) 693-7935.

Use passwords. Protect your cell phone, PDA, and laptop computer with passwords. If the objects are lost or stolen, your data will remain hidden.