Travel securely: Keep your information protected on the go

Learn about a few simple things you can do to protect your personal information while you travel.

Travel can be one of life’s great pleasures, especially when you’re enjoying retirement. Exploring new-to-you countries or revisiting favorite spots is fulfilling, whether traveling by yourself or with family or friends. Regardless of who you travel with, there can be the risk of an unwanted guest – in the form of threats to your personal information.

In the age of smartphones and abundant Wi-Fi hotspots, it’s important to remember that your information travels with you. That’s why ensuring your devices, as well as your credit and debit cards, are secure when you travel abroad is vital. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to help minimize the threat of your sensitive data being compromised.

Be mindful of your device settings

When traveling, consider disabling certain settings on your devices, like Bluetooth and your laptop’s webcam. Use Wi-Fi only through a trusted source rather than a public or unknown source, and make sure your device doesn’t try to automatically connect to networks when you aren’t using it.

Think about using a virtual private network (VPN) while traveling. A VPN helps to keep your personal information, browsing history and location private so you can use your devices more securely on the road. There are numerous providers available for purchasing VPN services, so you can explore the features that will work best for your circumstances. 

Limit your account access while traveling

It's also important to be mindful of the websites you’re accessing while traveling. Even when using a VPN, try to avoid accessing web accounts that contain any sensitive information, such as your financial, personal or health information. If you do need to access any such accounts, consider changing your passwords when you arrive home as an added security measure.

Keep in mind that any devices you might use that are not your own are especially unlikely to be secure. Public computers, such as those in a hotel common workspace or an internet café, pose an additional risk to your information. Looking up museum hours or directions to your dinner reservations is one thing, but it’s best not to use any sort of public computer for anything you need to supply a password to access.

Think about what you’re taking with you

Consider which of your electronic devices you’re taking with you while you travel, and which you may be able to leave at home. For example, leave your laptop at home if you can, especially if you’re traveling for pleasure rather than business. Likewise with your credit cards and any important documents – take only what you need, and make sure you’re carrying them securely.

Be prepared to verify purchases if needed

It’s always a good idea to make sure your financial institution knows that you’ll be traveling so your purchases aren’t flagged as fraudulent. You may still be notified about suspicious charges, however, as stolen or counterfeit cards are always a risk.

Check with your credit card company before you travel to learn the process for approving any charges the company may flag as fraudulent, so you know what to expect. Debit cards also often have daily limits on ATM withdrawals and point of sale purchases. Certain transactions at high-risk merchants or some transactions identified as potentially fraudulent may also require additional verification from the merchant. It’s good to be aware of all of this before your trip.

Next steps

Here are a few more tips for traveling securely:

• Use ATMs inside banks whenever possible and avoid standalone ATMs.
• Pay attention to the card reader. If it is loose or appears to be tampered with, do not use that ATM.
• If you lose a card, report the loss to your financial institution immediately.