Summer travel season creates a lot of excitement – and distractions. That’s exactly when people slip up with their personal information without realizing it. A few simple habits can make a big difference in keeping your identity safe while you’re out on the road. Don’t let identity thieves ruin your summer plans. Before you pack, post, or travel, review these guidelines to help protect your identity against scammers and identity thieves.
Set Travel Notifications
Your Chaffey FCU accounts are equipped to protect you from fraudulent activity by identifying irregular activity. Before leaving for your trip, let us know! Travel Notifications help us confirm which new activities are you, and which might be a fraud attempt that you still need protection from. You can create travel notifications for your Chaffey FCU Visa Cards at any time through the Chaffey Card Hub App: Log into your Card Hub profile, select the card(s) you want to set travel settings for, and choose Travel Notifications from the bottom menu to enter your trip details.
Be careful what you share online
It’s easy to overshare without meaning to. Be mindful of what you share on social media. Sharing reservation details, boarding passes or other travel details can give scammers the clues they need to guess passwords or impersonate you. A few extra seconds of caution can help protect your accounts and your identity. Share the moment, not the specifics.
Avoid logging into sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi
Airports, hotels, and coffee shops are convenient, but the Wi-Fi is often wide open. Open networks are convenient, but they’re also easier for criminals to intercept. Anyone on the same network can try to snoop. If you need to check something important (banking, email, anything with personal information), use your phone’s hotspot or wait until you’re on a secure connection.
Watch out for travel scams.
Traveling can get expensive fast, so finding the perfect deal feels like a great accomplishment. Scammers know this too and will use it to their own advantage. Watch out for websites, social media accounts, or messages from “travel agencies” claiming to offer free or heavily discounted vacation packages. A company asking for payment via wire transfer, payment apps, or cryptocurrency should raise red flags.
Keep your devices locked down
Travel days can be chaotic. Phones get left on seats, laptops get forgotten at security, and backpacks get unzipped without anyone noticing. A strong passcode, a biometric (face or fingerprint) lock, and “find my device” turned on can save you a lot of stress if something goes missing.
Watch out for “urgent” messages
Travelers get fake airline alerts, fake hotel confirmations, and fake texts about “suspicious activity.” If a message pressures you to “act now” or “click immediately,” or threatens that your account will be closed or reservation will be cancelled, pause and take a moment before you take action. Go directly to the official website or app instead of engaging with these “urgent” messages. And remember, Chaffey FCU will never pressure you with “urgent” messages demanding immediate action.
Don’t carry every document with you
When you’re traveling, leave things like your Social Security card, passport (unless you need it), and birth certificate at home. The fewer important documents you have on you, the less you can lose.
Use strong, unique passwords
As you’re traveling, you’re probably creating new accounts or adding payment details to hotels, reservations, or events. Use passwords that are long, unique, and hard to guess; think of a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols rather than personal details like birthdays or names. At the same time, avoid recycling the same password across multiple accounts.
Check your accounts regularly
A quick weekly look at your credit union accounts, credit card activity, and email security settings can help you catch something early. Many times, identity theft starts with tiny, easy-to-miss charges. Reviewing your accounts on a routine basis is one of the strongest defenses against identity theft. Spotting unfamiliar charges or changes early allows you to act quickly and limit potential damage.
Be mindful with travel documents
Don’t leave boarding passes, hotel key sleeves, or rental car paperwork lying around. They often contain barcodes or account numbers that can be scanned or photographed. Lost or stolen travel documents can give fraudsters the information they need to open accounts or impersonate you, so a little extra care can go a long way to help protect your identity.
Celebrations and travel should feel fun, not stressful. A few small habits can help you keep your identity safe while you enjoy the moment. But even when you do everything right, identity theft can still strike. If you suspect you’re a victim, contact us – even if it’s not related to your account at Chaffey FCU. Our team can provide helpful reminders for your next steps, and confirm if anything needs to be done to protect your accounts with us based on the situation.
