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Travel Safety: Protect Your Identity

Feb 1, 2010; 4:03 PM ET

Traveling safety has become a study of its own ever since the advent of identity theft. Your biggest concern may no longer be physical in nature (pickpockets, hotel theft, muggings); the value of the personal identity you carry as you travel is worth far more than the cash in your wallet. We all love to plan the vacation of our dreams. But there's one area we often overlook that can turn that long-anticipated dinner into a nightmare-the theft of our most-valuable asset, our identity. Let's fast forward-we've savored the last bite of pasta and drained our pitcher of the vino rosso locale before presenting our credit card.

Our friendly waiter looks concerned as he walks back to our table to tell us that our credit card has been declined. It doesn't take us long to discover a thief has maxed out our credit and there is nothing left to pay for our dream. If we're lucky, we'll have a backup plan and pay by cash or another credit card. If we are less lucky, the thief has cashed out our bank account as well, has stolen our passport numbers to set up new accounts, or has gained access to a laptop computer full of sensitive personal and workplace data. What were we thinking (or not thinking) by neglecting traveling safety? Traveling safely and preventing identity theft go hand in hand. Because we carry so much identity with us when we travel, because we are much less organized when on the road, and because thieves target travelers, the likelihood of identity theft while on vacation or business travel increases.

Traveling Safety 101

Before You Leave Home

Travel light! Simplify and minimize what to bring with you. Take as little identity with you as necessary. If possible, leave the following items at home when you travel:

Checks and checkbooks. Resist the temptation to carry checks or take only one or two for an emergency, carrying them with your cash in your money belt. Checking account takeover is one of the simplest crimes to commit and one of the most devastating types of financial fraud from which to recover. The easy alternative? Use a credit card or cash.

John Sileo for DivineCaroline.com

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