The summer travel season is once again upon us. Your vacation is a great time to relax, but it’s definitely not a time to relax your efforts when it comes to protecting your identity!

Before You Leave

• Suspend Mail Delivery — Your mailbox is a prime target for thieves, especially if they find out you’re out of town.
• Lock Up Sensitive Documents — This is especially important if someone will be in your home while your gone (watering plants, etc.). It’s also great protection if someone should break in.
• Clean Out Your Wallet — Don’t carry more information than you need.

While You’re Gone

• Don’t Access Your Financial Accounts, Pay Bills or Complete Transactions on Public Computers — Public computers may not be secure and you never know if someone has installed spyware or keylogging software on them.
• Protect Your Laptop and/or SmartPhone — Thieves know that your data on these devices is more valuable than the device itself. Take steps to secure them, both physically and data wise.
• Watch Your Credit Card and Keep Your Receipts — Don’t let your card out of your sight if possible and compare your receipts to your statement when you get home.

My father refuses to use online bill payment programs. He complains about the hassle of buying stamps, writing checks, and the supposed ineptitude of a post office that can’t deliver mail on time. But he won’t even discuss online payment options; he doesn’t think they’re safe. And I know he’s not alone.

Truth is, no system is iron clad. The trick is minimizing the risks. With a paper check, literally hundreds of people can touch it—postal workers, company mail rooms, service processors, bank employees, etc. With online payment programs, the number is significantly lower—most likely around 10. Is there a risk of hacking or a data breach? Yes. But I would bet that the risk is far lower than with the hundreds of people who have access to dad’s paper check.

What do you think about the safety of online payments?