I have seen quite a few articles on the travellers Twittersphere recently about popular scams that catch out unwary travellers.
The one that made me think, is one where you get a call in your hotel room, allegedly from the front desk, stating there has been an issue with your credit card and asking you to confirm all the details. Of course the call is not from the front desk at all, but from a scammer who has banked on your being travel weary, jet lagged and a bit slow witted and now has all your credit card details.
I like to think I would do the obvious on receiving such a call and say “I’ll call you right back” or “I’ll pop down and see you”, to make sure it is actually the front desk before I gave all my credit card details to a stranger on the phone, but know if a scammer really lucked out on their timing I might fall for it.
Anyway, forewarned is forearmed, so that is one none of us will fall for now. When I was thinking about people attempting to part you from your possessions whilst travelling, I thought I would share some of the travel security tips we have picked up over the years.
Top 5 Travel Security Tips
1) Use the hotel safe. Make sure you know how to open and close it before you lock all your valuables inside. That saves an embarrassing call to the front desk. Not that I have ever done such a silly thing. Don’t carry anything with you that you will not need that day. That often includes your passport. If you have more than one credit or debit card with you, take out the one that you intend on using and leave the others behind in the safe. If you have your pocket picked or your bag snatched you will still have access to money.
2) Write down the emergency cancellation number for any cards you are carrying and keep it separately to the card. If you have your card taken this saves the hassle of having to find an internet connection to get the number before you can call someone to get everything cancelled. As soon as you know your card has gone, find a phone and make that call!
3) If you have been robbed and think you will want to make an insurance claim you will need to report the robbery to the local police so you can get a crime reference number. Most insurance companies insist on this before they will deal with a claim.
4) Scan or take a copy of the photo page of your passport before you leave home and keep it somewhere secure and accessible. Either a paper copy in the hotel safe or a digital copy kept online (with a great password) is good. If your lose your passport or have it stolen it will make your life much easier if you can provide a copy to the relevant authorities.
5) Don’t flash your cash. You can reduce your chances of getting robbed if you do not look obviously wealthy. Be very wary around ATMs, especially if you are withdrawing relatively large amounts of cash at a time to avoid multiple transaction charges. If you are in a country where you are tipping frequently, keep a stash of small denomination notes separately so you do not have to get your purse or wallet out and fish through larger notes to find that $1 bill.
5.5) I thought I only had five tips, but this is probably a sixth. If a situation does not feel right, listen to your gut instinct and leave. You are vulnerable when you are in a strange place as you are distracted, often more relaxed than when you are at home and lack the usual cues to know when something is wrong. Your subconscious however, will still be on the lookout and can sometimes give you some good advice.
