Your holiday vacation is a time to kick back, relax, and enjoy time with friends and loved ones. But just because you’re off the clock doesn’t mean identity thieves are. In fact, the increase in travel and retail spending during the holiday season can make it one of the busiest times of the year for cybercriminals. Distracted holiday travelers and shoppers are more likely to let their guard down than usual, making them more vulnerable to potential cyberattacks.

As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In other words, better to take measures now than be sorry later. To help reduce your risk of identity theft and fraud this holiday travel season, here are some simple preventative steps you can take before, during, and after your trip.

Before you leave

Pay all bills ahead of time

Don’t leave home without making sure all upcoming bills are paid. You don’t want to worry about how an accidental late payment could impact your credit score while on your holiday vacation, and you especially don’t want to have to make payments over a public Wi-Fi network that could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Exchange currency early

If you’re traveling internationally for your holiday vacation, try to exchange for foreign currency ahead of time to avoid international ATMs. Not only do they sometimes charge hefty fees, but ATMs may be fitted with credit card skimmers, sneaky devices that cybercriminals mount over card slots to copy and store your credit card details.

Clean out your wallet

Some identity thieves are just plain thieves. They steal wallets and purses, not only to grab whatever cash you’re carrying, but to get access to your real valuables: your sensitive personal info. Then, they can use your identifying details to drain your accounts, open new lines of credit, and generally wreak havoc on your credit score.

To help reduce the risk of identity fraud if your bag is stolen, carry only the items you absolutely need for your trip, like your ID, passport, any credit or debit cards you expect to use, etc.

Evergreen tip: Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, keep it in a safe place at home.

Lock down your house

Take care to lock all doors and windows to prevent potential break-ins. Gather all important documents, including your Social Security card, in a safe (preferably locked!) place. 

Secure your mail

If you can, have a friend or neighbor check for any packages that get delivered while you’re gone. Unsecured mail and deliveries could indicate to identity thieves that you’re out of town and provide an easy way to harvest your sensitive information if stolen.

Check your credit report

Checking your credit scores and report before you leave for a trip can help you establish a baseline of information in case you experience identity fraud.

During your trip

Minimize use of public Wi-Fi

While hopping onto a public Wi-Fi connection at an airport or transit station to make a quick purchase or check your bank account might seem convenient, it could also put you at risk of potential data exposure. Most public Wi-Fi networks are unsecured, meaning your online activity and sensitive info could be tracked by cybercriminals if you choose to connect.

To help avoid the risk of identity theft, be very careful about connecting to public Wi-Fi during holiday travel. If you need to enter sensitive information, like login credentials, financial account details, etc., try to wait until you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network you trust. If you absolutely can’t wait and need to enter sensitive information immediately, you can turn off your Wi-Fi connection and use cellular data to connect to the internet instead. Using a virtual private network (VPN) may also help you avoid cybercriminal interference.

Beware of shoulder surfers

Sometimes identity thieves try to gather personal data using a method called shoulder surfing, where they stand near an unsuspecting victim and surreptitiously spy for info. They might do this by looking over your shoulder at the ATM, eavesdropping on your phone conversations in public, or secretly watching as you scroll.

Be careful with your boarding pass

If your holiday travel plans involve flying, use a mobile boarding pass if you can. Boarding passes include all kinds of sensitive personal information that could put you at increased risk of identity theft if they fell into the wrong hands. If you do have a paper boarding pass, don’t throw it away in a hotel trash can or other public receptacle. Tear it up or hold onto it until you can shred and dispose of it safely.

Avoid oversharing on social media

Posting your holiday travel all over social media could be announcing to potential identity thieves that you’re away from home. Waiting until after your trip to post photos could help you avoid being targeted.

Be alert at parties, family gatherings, and other social events

Pickpocketing is one of the most basic tools in a cybercriminal’s arsenal—but it doesn’t only have to happen in public. Practice extra caution by keeping a close eye on your personal belongings wherever you are.

When you return

Reset your passwords

Routine password maintenance is a part of overall cybersecurity hygiene, but it’s especially important if you’ve recently logged into any accounts via public Wi-Fi.

Check your credit report and bank account and credit card statements

Compare your credit activity and financial accounts after your trip with the baseline view you gathered before to determine whether there might have been any suspicious activity indicative of potential fraud.

If you suspect you’ve become a victim of identity fraud…

If you’re worried that your personal info may have been compromised during your holiday vacation, the most important thing is to act quickly. Time is of the essence, so as soon as you suspect you may be at risk of identity fraud, take the following steps:

1.Contact your bank and/or credit card company

First, reach out to let your bank and credit card issuers know that you suspect you’ve become a victim of fraud. Ask them to cancel any questionable transactions and restore the missing funds to your account immediately. Don’t panic if the transaction has already gone through; you should be able to dispute fraudulent charges and attempt to get your money back after the fact.

Evergreen tip: Paying with a credit card—rather than a debit card, cash, or an untraceable form of payment like a gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer—is generally the most secure option when it comes to avoiding potential fraud. That’s because credit cards often offer stronger fraud detection features than debit cards. Plus, unlike other payment methods, there are laws that limit your personal liability for fraudulent purchases made with a credit card.

2. File a report with the FTC, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and your local police station

Report your situation to the authorities to help law enforcement investigate and address fraud on a larger scale.

3. Freeze your credit

Putting a freeze on your credit can help minimize potential damage to your credit score as a result of identity fraud by blocking cybercriminals from opening new accounts in your name. It’s completely free and easy to do, and the process of freezing/unfreezing can take as little as a few minutes. Just contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually to request the credit freeze, either by phone or online.

When you want to unfreeze (for example, if you’re planning to apply for an apartment or a new line of credit), all you have to do is log onto each credit bureau website using the same account you used to freeze. If you don’t have access to the internet, you may also be able to unfreeze your credit by phone or by mail, assuming you provide sufficient identifying information.

‘Tis the season for holiday travel, holiday shopping, and—unfortunately—holiday fraud. Check out our blog to learn some ways you can help spot and avoid common holiday shopping scams.

What next?

If the thought of trying to keep track of all your personal data is a little overwhelming, the good news is you don’t have to do it alone. PrivacyGuard offers credit monitoring and identity protection plans to help you keep track of your credit scores and sensitive information for signs of potential fraud during the holiday season and beyond.