Identity theft and vacations

With summer in full swing, now is the time families will take vacations since the kids are out of school. However, being away from home can leave you can be just as vulnerable (actually, more so) to identity theft. There are extra precautions you should take during your vacation time to protect your identity (and the identities of your family members) from identity thieves.

This article on MarketWatch gives a few helpful tips regarding protecting oneself from identity theft while you are away from home (especially when traveling outside your home country). These should be used whether you are traveling inside or outside your home country (especially the point regarding leaving a wallet or other key identifying documents in the hotel room. Cleaning staff and other hotel staff have access to rooms, and not all of these people are going to be trustworthy.

I'd like to add a few more that my husband and I have used while traveling. One thing we keep in mind is that the villains will not just be abroad. We can be victims of identity theft in our hometown while we are away from home, so we take some preventative measures. First, if you have a subscription to a local newspaper, either temporarily cancel it or have a trusted neighbor pick up your copy of the newspaper (preferably in the morning). Nothing clues in a potential thief (identity thief or otherwise) that you are away from home than a pile of newspapers collecting on your porch.

If an important bill is scheduled to arrive during your absence, either call the post office and ask them to hold your mail or have a trusted friend or family member pick it up. (Make sure this is someone you trust. Friends and family members can be identity thieves too.) A mailbox full of mail will be an easy target for mail thieves.

Take extra precautions to protect yourself and your family from identity theft while traveling. It will make your vacation experience more pleasurable with fewer hassles to deal with when you return.