Keeping Your Summer Vacation and Holidays Happy and Fraud-free

Keeping Your Summer Vacation and Holidays Happy and Fraud-free

Yes, it’s that wonderful time of year … enjoying the long summer days, going on vacation (FINALLY) and celebrating holidays like the 4th of July. Whatever your plans are, having time off of work, fun with friends and family, and hopefully a few days of laziness … are wonderful to look forward to. But, when we are caught up in the excitement of buying new flip-flops and sparklers, it’s important to remember that there are some other ‘things to do’ on the checklist to help keep your family and identities safe during this special time of year.

 

In addition to stopping the mail, finding that special neighbor with a green thumb to water your plants, and arranging for pet care for your fur babies, there are some pre-trip actions that you can take to help prevent identity theft from becoming a huge holiday memory. Just some small preventative measures, such as updating the operating system and antivirus software on your mobile devices, can go a long way toward fending off a few identity thieves. Below are some tips for what you can do before you leave home, as well as while you’re away and after your return.

 

Before you leave home:

– Password protect your devices and update operating systems

– Alert your bank(s) about your travel plans

– Visit your post office and put your mail on a vacation hold

– Keep the number of credit cards you travel with to a minimum and have copies of your driver’s license, medical id cards, passports and travel confirmation numbers at home in a safe place

– Turn off auto-connect Wifi and Bluetooth connections

– Consider adjusting your social media account settings so posts aren’t tagged with GPS data

 

While out of town:

– Avoid using public Wifi and even your hotel’s if at all possible

– Do not use public computers

– Keep your travel documents in a hotel safe

– Log out of websites on your smartphone and any websites if you bring a laptop or other device with you on your trip

 

Upon your return home:

– Consider changing passwords for your major accounts

– Thoroughly go through your account statements for any irregularities

– Check your credit report to make sure no new accounts were opened in your name while you were away

 

If you suspect identity theft or fraud, please contact us immediately at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or email [email protected]. Day or night, we’ve got your back and will always be open for you.

 

Photo by Raphaël Biscaldi on Unsplash

Quick Steps for Lost Wallet

Quick Steps for Lost Wallet

You know that flustered feeling when you can’t find your cell phone? Imagine if you had your driver’s license, ATM debit card and your AMEX in a pocket inside your phone. Not only would you have a lost wallet, but you would have a lost cell phone as well. Talk about panic.

There are many reasons why you should not carry every ID you have on you at any given point in time. Your Social Security card … should be in a safe. Your passport should be in there as well. If you own more than one credit card, don’t carry all of them in your wallet at the same time. Your health insurance card? Now, that’s a toss-up.

Before a lost wallet scenario could happen to you:

• Make a detailed list and/or keep photocopies of the contents in your wallet in a safe place (ideally in a home safe or bank lock box). Make sure phone numbers are included for your providers as well so you can swiftly contact your creditors if the moment arises.

What to do if you have a lost or stolen phone, wallet or both:

• Call your bank(s) immediately to report your debit and/or any credit cards as stolen. This is different from canceling or closing your credit cards, which can cause problems with your credit reports. “You’re only responsible for up to $50 in unauthorized purchases if you report a debit card as missing within two business days of the loss. But, if you wait more than two days (but less than 60), you could be on the hook for up to $500 in unauthorized purchases.
• Call your cell phone carrier if your lost wallet also included your phone. Service providers have tracking that can help trace the footsteps of your burglar as well as the ability to shut off any apps, suspend social media accounts and email for the time being.
• File a police report.
• Initiate a fraud alert on your credit report.
• Replace your driver’s license as soon as possible. Every state has different requirements for replacing a license. Some may ask you for a police report number if your ID has been stolen.

• IF your Social Security card was in your wallet (not recommended), contact the Social Security Administration immediately. They can send you a new card but they won’t give you a new number.

• Download a credit report. If you see anything you don’t recognize, call the IRS Identity Protection Unit 800.908.4490.

What types of cards and documents can be replaced?

It can be overwhelming when we think of everything that could be in our wallet. Your driver’s license, debit card, passport, military ID, health insurance card, Medicare/Medicaid, auto insurance card, US Visa or residency card, even retail store cards and any specialized license or driver’s permit all can be replaced, but it takes time.

It’s best to minimize what you carry with you. Our Lost Wallet service assists our Members in quickly and effectively terminating and re-ordering wallet contents. Our services include:

• Identifying missing documents.
• Contacting document issuers while Member is on call (if required by issuer).
• Cancelling of all lost cards and report documents missing.
• Completing the required forms and delivering to subscriber for completion.
• Initiating fraud affidavit and police reports for stolen wallets.
• Additional resolution calls based on the severity of issue, as needed