Going on a trip with your family and friends is supposed to be a fun, relaxing experience. However, the enjoyment of your excursion can be quickly dampened if you are robbed or assaulted. There are many ways to keep your plans as safe as possible, from knowing the facts about your destination to locking up your valuables in your room. Here are a few strategies to protecting yourself when on vacation.
Secure the Papers That You Have On You
When you travel, there are important documents that you will need while you are gone. Some of them would be impossible to get sent to you if they ever went missing. Others have sensitive data on them that could damage your credit rating if the information was used to seal your identity. When you arrive at your destination, ask the hotel for a safe to lock them away in. This should include your passport, health insurance card, auto insurance including your collision damage waiver, and any extra forms of currency. Most facilities will have one in your room or they can deliver a unit to you. Pass along the code to another person of your party who you trust. If something happens to you, secure that they can access it easily. Keep the items in there unless you are required to present them.
Do Your Research Before You Plan Your Trip
You can prevent anything dangerous happening to you if you take a moment and research your destination. Check the crime rates in the area and what offense is prominent. Look into the neighborhood surrounding your hotel specifically. Ask your friends and family who have been there or are aware of it how they felt when they were visiting. Allow the data to influence your decision. You can still travel to that spot but you may want to schedule some of your activities for the daylight hours. If there is something you want to do after dark, be sure that you go with others.
Once you have you itinerary for your trip, send copies to those close to you. This lets them know where you will be at all times. This should include your flight times and numbers as well as your hotel confirmation. Check in frequently with them to let them know that you are safe. If you miss contacting them and they are unable to reach you, they can call the authorities in that area and ask them to look for you. This can reduce the time it takes to help you if you are injured or taken. It also provides you the opportunity to share what is happening on your vacation with them. You can also ask about your home and pets.
Use Cellular Data and Your Personal Hotspot Instead Of WiFi
Even though you are on vacation, you may have to log into your workplace to put out a fire. You may also want to go on your social media account and upload the photos that you have taken onto your page. If you are at a coffee shop, you may be tempted to use their wifi instead of your data. This is not a good strategy for protecting yourself when on vacation.
Whether you are away from home or in your community, this is a bad idea. Since they are frequently unsecured, hackers can also link to these sources and break into your computer or cell phone. They can find your personal information or financial data and steal it. As you are having fun, they can drain your accounts and leave you miles from where you live with little cash. Laptops should be hard wired to a bandwidth or you should be sure that the internet is protected before you log on.
Ensure You Have Your Passwords Set For Every Device
While you are off having an exciting adventure, you do run the risk of losing your phone. You could also be enjoying your lunch and be unaware that someone has taken it from you. If you have yet to set the login in password on your device, the thief can access all the information that you have there from your bank account to your social security number.
Before you leave on your vacation, verify each piece of equipment is secured with a code that only you know. For items that you will be carrying with you everywhere, engage the GPS that is installed in it as well. If you do accidentally leave it behind or it is stolen, you can ping it and find out where it is. It allows you or the police to find it and return it. This is a simple strategy for protecting yourself when on vacation.
Check Your Bank Account Frequently
You may check what is in your account to see what you have extra to spend on tours, activities, meals, and souvenirs. One of the best strategies for protecting yourself when on vacation is to review them also for any strange transactions that were made by someone other than you. Each time you log into the site, carefully analyze each line item. Think about where you have been and if the name of the payee matches it. If you see one that is less than familiar to you, call your financial institution. They may be able to give you better insight to what it is or they will mark it as fraud and investigate. You should also contact them and let them know where you are going and the days you will be there. This will allow them to avoid flagging legitimate charges.
It can be exciting to share what you are doing with the world. Your family and friends will want to share your experiences as well. The best platform to do this is social media. However, it can be dangerous to upload and tag your pictures while you are gone. When you tag where you are, thieves can note the information. Since they have an image of you, they will know who to target when they plan their crime. This also goes for your possessions back home. Robbers who track what you are doing on vacation will know the best time to strike when there is less of a chance of being caught. In the interest of protecting yourself when on vacation, the best practice to follow is to share everything about your excursion once you are back at your house.
Take Care Of Your Property When You Are Gone
In addition to protecting yourself when on vacation, you must protect your home as well. Thieves will note the newspapers piling up on your porch or the overgrown grass and strike. While you are away, contact the post office and ask that they put a hold on what you should receive. Ask a neighbor or family neighbor to keep an eye on your property and let you know if something seems odd. If you will be away for over a week, they can mow also.
Going on a vacation is a time to relax, have fun, and get away from the stress from your everyday life. However, getting robbed or hurt can take away from that experience. Being aware of your surroundings before you leave, avoiding public wifi spots, and putting a password on your phone are a few precautions that you can retake to help your trip go smoothly.
