Living in the information age has made identity theft more prevalent and easier than ever for criminals. Over 1 million reports of identity theft were reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2023.
While identity theft is prevalent, you shouldn’t let that stop you from traveling the world, or your own backyard. Following a few basic identity theft protection steps can prevent fraudsters from turning you into their next victim.
Identity Theft Protection Tips
It’s important to keep in mind that hackers and scammers can profit in multiple ways if they gain access to your Social Security number, driver’s license, checking account, or credit card login credentials. Some thieves use the internet to sneak into an electronic device that stores this information. Others set up schemes to scan debit cards or greedily rifle through your trash in search of pertinent documents. Fortunately, there are ways to deter online and real-life identity theft criminals.
1: Protect Your Passport
Passports are worth more than their weight in gold to criminals. If you’re planning a trip abroad, consider making a copy of your passport and storing it in a secure location. Keep the small booklet close to you at all times when navigating airports, customs, and TSA vetting. And never leave your passport in a hotel room unless it’s locked up.
Thieves may also use advanced technology to scan the electronic chips embedded in passports. Radio frequency identification scanners can be a few feet away and still gather passport intel. Explore passport wallet options to keep your information as safe as possible.
2: Plan Which Card(s) to Bring and Which to Leave at Home
Although carrying plastic instead of cash makes purchases more convenient, criminals can get plenty of mileage out of them. Consider rethinking the credit and debit cards you’re used to swiping or tapping at home. Only taking your essential cards will help reduce any damage should anything be stolen.
Always notify your credit card company or local lender before using the credit card out of state and check into your alert options. Sometimes you can be notified if a charge over a certain amount is being processed.
Finally, rather than take the usual plastic, carry only credit cards that offer fraud protection. In the event your credit cards fall into the wrong hands, you won’t be on the hook for illegitimate purchases.
3: Split Up Your Payment Methods
Some of the best defenses against crime are the simplest ones. Separating cash, credit cards, and other financially linked items is an excellent way to prevent a pickpocket or other con artist from stealing all your resources. When traveling, consider placing a percentage of your cards and cash in a wallet that can be pushed deep into a pocket or carried in a purse or bag. Invest in a money belt that positions another group of cards, as well as some cash, in the front of your mid-section. As long as you never plan to let your laptop bag out of your sight, it can also serve as a place to stow away cash and plastic. The point is that dividing up your assets prevents thieves from snatching them all at once.
4: Think Twice Before Using Public Wi-Fi
The prevalence of public Wi-Fi leads many to believe that it’s perfectly safe. Truth be told, sophisticated hackers routinely establish copycat platforms. When someone goes to access a café hotspot, they inadvertently fall into a cybercriminal’s trap. Giving over information such as name, date of birth, email, phone number, and a physical address can all be used to complete a profile used to infiltrate checking accounts, credit card profiles, and others. A digital thief can then sell that information on the Dark Web.
Rather than rely on pubic Wi-Fi when traveling, set up a hot spot through your cell phone provider. You can also opt for a virtual private network (VPN) service. Both serve as good alternatives to untrusted public Wi-Fi.
5: Stop Your Mail
Although much of the identity theft conversation revolves around hackers and online threats, criminals never stopped using physical documents. An overloaded mailbox is a dream for document thieves. Invoices from credit card companies, auto loan statements, and even insurance documents can be used to gather and extort personal identity information.
Scammers are always on the lookout for treasure troves of personal and financial information. Rather than turn your mailbox into low-hanging fruit, fill out a form at the post office or online to stop delivery until you return if you plan on being gone a prolonged period of time.
6: Beware of Shoulder Surfers
Always be on the lookout for bystanders peering over your shoulders as you type in usernames and passwords. Whether you are typing in a PIN at the ATM, or starting up a handheld device, the information needed to use these items are keys to your personal identity information. Avoid putting yourself in a position where prying eyes can see a screen or ATM dashboard. You never know who could be watching.
7: Don’t Let Others Know You Are Traveling
The excitement of vacationing at resorts and experiencing diverse cultures leads many community members to share images and selfies on social media. While your friends and family members marvel at your adventure, the pics are also sending up a flare that no one is home.
In many ways, this may put you at far greater risk than an overburdened mailbox because thieves of all sorts troll Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram, among others. Rather than invite a physical break-in of your home, consider waiting to post the pictures until you return.
What to Do If You Notice You Have Fallen Victim to Identity Theft
When credit cards and other financial accounts are compromised, you typically receive a notification via email or text message. Hackers are keenly aware of this process and often send out scam emails that ask you to log into an account or provide personal identity information. Needless to say, it’s prudent to never move forward digitally if you receive any type of fraud alert. Instead, consider taking the following steps.
- Review your accounts for any questionable activity.
- Call credit card companies, local lending institutions, and any resources that may have been compromised. Speak to a real person about critical next steps.
- Put a hold on any account that fraudsters may have accessed.
- Consider placing a fraud alert with the three major credit reporting bureaus.
- File an identity theft claim with the Federal Trade Commission.
It’s also essential to file a report with local law enforcement. The police can investigate the physical theft of personal identity documents locally. Although police departments cannot bring a hacker in another country to justice, the report creates a paper trail so that you can request reimbursement from insurance companies and others.
Allegiance Is Here to Help You Travel Safer
All Allegiance members also have the ability to monitor their credit report daily for free through the Credit Score feature located inside of Online Banking and the Mobile App.