The last thing you want when you're traveling with your kids is to have a major financial problem. While most trips families take are probably incident free, the State Department indicates its 250 U.S. embassies and consulates receive calls every day from United States citizens seeking help for problems that occur during their travels. You can avoid some of these problems by paying attention to what you are doing and being aware of the latest travel scams. Check FBI's Scams & Safety web page (www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/) for the latest ways thieves try to trick travelers out of money.
The Midnight Call
You are asleep in your hotel when you get a call from the front desk informing you that your credit card has been declined and that they need your numbers to complete your transaction. The party on the other end might even offer you a discounted rate. In your sleepy state, you comply and give your credit card and name. You've been tricked.
Do's and Don'ts: Never give your credit card number by phone to someone who has called you. If you have any reason to believe the caller is being truthful, go to the lobby to complete the transaction. If you have given out your information, contact your credit card companies. Also, teach your kids not to answer the phone or door when you're not in the hotel room. You may also want to add a layer of protection before you travel with Lifelock; check out its Twitter or Facebook pages for tips on what to do if your financial information is compromised.
Your Carry-on
Traveling with young kids requires a lot of careful planning and more bags than you would bring yourself. You may put you're valuables (cash, jewelry, passport, phone charger, etc.) in a carry-on, but all of your kids emergency supplies (toys, coloring, diapers, medicine, etc.) need to go in there too. An overstuffed carry-on can be a big problem. Unfortunately, as you board, you are informed there is not enough room for your bag, so it must be checked at the gate. Maybe you remember to grab your computer tablet but forget about your jewelry. You discover that your valuables are missing when you arrive at your hotel.
Do's and Don'ts: According to Daily Mail travelers report approximately 200 thefts at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport every day. That is just one airport on one day. Even if you are planning to carry your bag on the plane, place of your valuables together so you can grab them all at once.
An Unreal Rental
You found a great deal on a rental unit on line and corresponded via email with the owner. He or she asks you to wire money to pay for the house. When you arrive at house, you discover that the real owner had already rented the property months ago. It turns out the person you had been corresponding with was a scam artist who hijacked the actual owner's email.
Do's and Don'ts: Never wire money or send MoneyGrams to secure a rental property. This is the No. 1 way that phishing thieves like to get their money. As of the fall of 2012, VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) reported it had been hit by 3,000 of these types of phishing scams. It has been working to create new and improved systems for its users. Do use a credit card for these types of purchases if your financial institution protects you from such scams; call them to find out.
(Photo by Ronel Reyes via Flickr)
You are asleep in your hotel when you get a call from the front desk informing you that your credit card has been declined and that they need your numbers to complete your transaction. The party on the other end might even offer you a discounted rate. In your sleepy state, you comply and give your credit card and name. You've been tricked.
Do's and Don'ts: Never give your credit card number by phone to someone who has called you. If you have any reason to believe the caller is being truthful, go to the lobby to complete the transaction. If you have given out your information, contact your credit card companies. Also, teach your kids not to answer the phone or door when you're not in the hotel room. You may also want to add a layer of protection before you travel with Lifelock; check out its Twitter or Facebook pages for tips on what to do if your financial information is compromised.
Your Carry-on
Traveling with young kids requires a lot of careful planning and more bags than you would bring yourself. You may put you're valuables (cash, jewelry, passport, phone charger, etc.) in a carry-on, but all of your kids emergency supplies (toys, coloring, diapers, medicine, etc.) need to go in there too. An overstuffed carry-on can be a big problem. Unfortunately, as you board, you are informed there is not enough room for your bag, so it must be checked at the gate. Maybe you remember to grab your computer tablet but forget about your jewelry. You discover that your valuables are missing when you arrive at your hotel.
Do's and Don'ts: According to Daily Mail travelers report approximately 200 thefts at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport every day. That is just one airport on one day. Even if you are planning to carry your bag on the plane, place of your valuables together so you can grab them all at once.
An Unreal Rental
You found a great deal on a rental unit on line and corresponded via email with the owner. He or she asks you to wire money to pay for the house. When you arrive at house, you discover that the real owner had already rented the property months ago. It turns out the person you had been corresponding with was a scam artist who hijacked the actual owner's email.
Do's and Don'ts: Never wire money or send MoneyGrams to secure a rental property. This is the No. 1 way that phishing thieves like to get their money. As of the fall of 2012, VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) reported it had been hit by 3,000 of these types of phishing scams. It has been working to create new and improved systems for its users. Do use a credit card for these types of purchases if your financial institution protects you from such scams; call them to find out.
(Photo by Ronel Reyes via Flickr)
(This post was written by Michelle Rodriguez)
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