Protect Your Identity While on Vacation
By Valerie Vinyard

Identity thieves don’t take a vacation when you do. That’s why it’s important to protect your identity as you prepare for your trip, and also while you’re traveling.
Experian’s ProtectMyID offers five actions you can take to help safeguard your identity this summer:

  • Travel light. The more you take with you, the more you have to lose. Carry only the essentials, such as your driver’s license, passport if you’re traveling outside the United States, a credit card and your health insurance card. Leave everything else securely stored at home, including your Social Security card, extra credit cards and other forms of identification.
  • Backup important documents. Before you leave home, make copies of your driver’s license, passport, credit cards and any other vital documents, and carry them with you. When you leave your hotel room, lock the copies in the hotel safe. If your wallet or purse gets lost or stolen, you’ll have backups safely stored at the hotel.
  • Plan your trip carefully. It would be nice to think you can wander around and explore freely wherever you go, but that’s not always the case. Carefully plan where you’ll go and the sights you’ll see. Investigate the companies you’ll be traveling with and learn the names of reputable transportation providers at your destination.
  • Prep your home. Criminals who break into your home can do worse than simply take your belongings. They also can steal your identity if they find documents or electronics that contain sensitive information. Take steps to ensure it looks like you’re still at home. Put lights on a timer so they switch on automatically when it gets dark. Put a hold on all mail and newspaper delivery. Ask a trusted friend to water outside plants or bring in trash cans off the street. Secure important documents in a lockbox inside the house. Finally, turn off your home Wi-Fi network so no one can access your home systems while you’re away.
  • Stay alert.You want to have fun and relax, but still need to maintain some degree of vigilance. Be aware of your surroundings as you sightsee or pass through airports or other busy areas.

If you suspect your identity may have been compromised while traveling, check your credit report for signs such as new credit cards accounts you didn’t open. AAA members can enroll in freeidentity theft monitoring with ProtectMyID® Essential which provides daily credit monitoring, fraud resolution support and lost wallet assistance, a $79 value.
With a few simple steps, you’ll be on your way to enjoying peace of mind during your summer vacation.

Valerie Vinyard is a public affairs specialist with AAA Arizona. Contact her at or at 520-258-0518.

Be aware of your surroundings as you sight-see or pass through airports or other busy areas.

If you suspect your identity may have been compromised on vacation, check your credit report for signs such as new credit cards accounts you didn’t open.