Protect Yourself with These 11 Travel Safety Tips

About to jet off on your next adventure? Not so fast. Whether your trip is for work or for fun, you need to know the best ways to stay safe before you go.

It’s important to protect yourself, your identity, and your things. From muggings to digital crimes, you and your family can face risks both in-person and online when traveling. A reckless digital footprint or forgetting to take some simple precautions can make you an easy target for thieves and cybercriminals.

So, before you head off on your next trip, keep these 11 travel tips in mind to help keep your trip worry-free and safe.

1. Use Wi-Fi with caution.

It’s tempting to jump on public Wi-Fi networks when traveling. They are convenient and are often free. But this can turn into a big headache for you.

Savvy cybercriminals may be able to access the data you share through a public network. This means they can see what you’re browsing, steal login details and bust into your accounts. Be very cautious about using Wi-Fi networks, especially to access banking information or to make any important financial transactions while away from home.

2. Get a VPN before you go.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) hides your IP address and helps to keep you anonymous, even if you’re on public Wi-Fi. A lot of businesses use VPNs to help secure their data, so you might be familiar with using one for work. It’s a good idea to get a VPN for your personal use to boost your online security and make it harder to become the victim of identity theft, fraud or other crime.

3. Bluetooth can be hacked.

A lot of people have Bluetooth on constantly. This is a big no-no. It leaves you vulnerable to numerous types of attacks – hackers taking control over your device, stealing personal data, spamming you, or even impersonating you. These are all a nightmare to deal with, especially when traveling.

Make sure to turn Bluetooth off when it’s not in use. Don’t accept pair requests unless you know the device, and always keep your software and security features current on your devices.

4. Travel tracking sounds good… in theory.

If you travel often for work, your company may use travel tracking. This software gives access to authorized parties to see your itinerary, and some programs update in real-time when you’ve reached your destination. This sounds like a great idea…until it’s not.

Giving others access to where you’ll be and the ability to watch your GPS in real-time can be a hazard. In the hands of the wrong person, this information could lead to a calculated robbery or worse. Your whereabouts should be given on a need-to-know basis. Share your itinerary before you leave with trusted family and friends.

5. Be mindful with geotagging and sharing on social media.

You never know who is watching you across social media. Even if your profiles are completely private, it’s still a good idea to keep geotagging off. Make sure your kids or anyone else you’re traveling with does the same. There’s little need for people to know your every move.

Consider posting your photos and videos after you return home, or at the least, don’t post, tweet or snap anything until after you’ve left that location. You add extra risk when you let unknown people see where you are in real-time.

6. Get someone to watch your home especially if you’re gone for longer trips.

When you tell people you’re traveling, what you’re also sharing is that you won’t be home. An opportunistic person could try to burglarize your house you while you’re away.

Secure your home and ask a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member to check up on your place. You want it to look like your home is occupied. You can do this with timed lighting, by keeping a car parked in the driveway or by making it look like someone is around with toys scattered on the floor or an opened book on a coffee table.

7. Reevaluate location sharing and your use of Google maps.

Many people share their location with friends and family. But this isn’t a feature you want to keep on for too long. Google maps lets you keep loved ones informed of your ETA or location for security reasons, but this information can become a liability. Make sure to turn the feature on (or off) when it makes sense. Don’t keep it on constantly.

Be aware that hackers GPS spoof where they send false GPS data. They can change your device’s location or time zone without consent. Some hackers even interfere with Google maps and make up fake traffic jams or other false information.

8. Lock your stuff, including your phone.

If you haven’t password protected your devices yet, right before you leave for a trip is the perfect time. It’s an easy security measure to put in place and will make it more difficult for someone to access your information if your device is stolen.

While you’re traveling, keep your belongings locked up. Use the safe if your hotel provides one.

9. Use safe passwords.

Most websites and apps already have multiple qualifications your passwords must meet, so chances are you have decent passwords. But just in case, it might be time to use a password manager and create extremely secure passwords that are difficult to guess or hack. Never use the same password twice.

10. Know the area and your surroundings.

Make sure you do a bit of research about the area you’re visiting. Even if you’ll only spend one night there, you should know what’s around the neighborhood, local customs, and anything else that will help you fit in a bit better. This includes dressing appropriately and keeping the valuables off your person.

While traveling, a good way to deter pickpockets is to not use a back pocket. You may also want to use a decoy wallet in case of a mugging. Put an expired ID, fake credit cards and a little money in there so it looks real. That way, if you are mugged, you can hand it over instead of your real wallet.

11. Get your kids on board.

Establish family rules for the trip that everyone is on board with. Think about who is allowed to wander off alone and who isn’t. Secure your children’s devices, turn off geotagging and talk about what is appropriate and inappropriate to share online. During the trip, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your children’s social accounts so you can have any content deleted immediately if it poses a risk.

One of the most powerful ways to get your kids on board with the vacation safety rules is to have them help create them. Chances are, if your child is at least 5, they can come up with something that will keep everyone safe. Let your kids join the safety conversation and create a small but impactful list of guidelines.

For younger children, it might be helpful to practice safety rules in public locations you know well, like your local grocery store.

How Blink by Chubb Can Help.

Getting some much-needed R & R shouldn’t come with extra worries. You can do everything right before and during your trip and still become the victim of identity theft or fraud. That’s why we offer cyber insurance, and are developing additional products, such as travel insurance and gadget protection – because, even with the best intentions and preparation, life still happens.