Traveling is one of the most enjoyable things you can do by yourself, with friends, or with your family. You create memories, see new places, and experience activities that you can’t at home. However, it can be dangerous at times.
For tourists, the most common crimes experienced are theft by pickpocketing, scams or being overcharged, credit card fraud, and physical assault. To avoid these issues, use our tips on ways to travel safely.
Be Mindful What You Post
Going on vacation is a once a year event for most of us. It’s natural to want to post all your amazing photos on your social media, but you could be putting yourself at risk.
One online blog article explains that you’re vulnerable to getting your home broken into and robbed when you do this. It might be a better idea to save your pictures and post them when you return.
Whether or not you post before you leave for vacation, make sure your house is secure. Leaving one light on while you’re away is an excellent way to make potential burglars think there’s someone home.
Don’t Draw Attention to Yourself
We’re all guilty of buying new clothes before we travel. You pack your bags with your favorite pieces and things you might not normally wear.
However, when you go out dressed to impress, it makes you a target for theft. If you have children and they bring their most up to date devices with them, this can also draw attention.
It’s better to dress more casually and leave anything you’d be seriously upset about losing at home.
Don’t Trust Public Wifi
Restaurants or stores use free wifi signs to get you to come in. Although this is convenient when traveling, it can be a hotspot for an identity thief to attack.
When you log in on public wifi, hackers can access your phone and can see your banking app, including your account information and your social security number. Any other important work or personal information that’s on the device can be stolen too.
Trust Your Feelings
Intuition can save you from bad situations when traveling. Whenever you go somewhere, and you don’t like the vibe, you need to leave immediately. There’s a reason why you feel this way, and you should trust it.
Try to stay in places that are well lit, and with other people around. Never go somewhere alone with someone you just met because you never know their intentions. Be mindful of how much alcohol you’re drinking because it can impair your judgment.
Invest in Travel Insurance
Even if you’re only going away for a week, travel insurance can come to save the day when something terrible happens. Depending on the plan you buy, you’ll be covered if something happens with your flights, you’re robbed, you have to go to the hospital, or your bags are lost at the airport.
It’s normal to go on a trip and never have to use your travel insurance. However, it’s better to be protected than have something go wrong and have to sort it all out on your own.
The Bottom Line
Traveling is one of the best things in life, but you need to remember to stay safe. You want to come home with memorable stories that you can continue telling for the years, not nightmares that will haunt you.
Use our tips to travel safely, and you’ll be all set for your next big trip.
