If you’re like many people these days, you’re finding that the need to connect online for banking, shopping and even social networking can increase when traveling. Not surprisingly, these are all welcome forums for cyber-thieves.

Just as we need to guard our money and our credit cards when we shop in brick-and-mortar stores, at home or abroad, we need to be equally vigilant when we enter cyberspace to make purchases and financial transactions.

Based upon information provided to me by the FBI’s Washington Field Office recently, there are a number of key things you can do to help keep your credit and your identity safe from a growing number of crafty cyber-interlopers—particularly when you’re traveling and not using your own home computer, or when you’re using your computer outside of your own home. Here are some of the top tips:

1.     Always be sure your antivirus software is up to date.

2.     Use long and strong passwords, and change them often.

3.     Never send any kind of personal or financial information via email, and be certain that any transaction site you’re using is secure and the information you provide is being encrypted. Be sure you’re viewing websites using https rather than http settings for maximum security.

4.     Don’t shop or do your banking when using public WiFi, such as in an airport, a hotel, or a coffee shop as these networks are often not secure.

5.     When possible, always use credit cards rather than debit cards when shopping online. Most credit cards limit your personal liability for fraudulent purchases, but once money is taken out of your checking account it can be difficult to get it back. Prepaid credit cards provide the highest online shopping security.

6.     As you get ready to make an online purchase or conduct a banking session, open a new browser window. When you’re finished, log out of the site; don’t just close the window. Doing this can help prevent you from being “followed” in or out of the session by a cybercriminal.

7.     Many credit card companies provide email alerts for purchases. I LOVE this benefit, and have it set up on my Platinum American Express and Visa credit cards! I receive an immediate email, literally within minutes of a transaction, specifying the cost, venue, and other important detail related to the purchase.  With these free alerts, you’ll be able to determine right away if there are fraudulent charges being billed to your card. [Read more →]

Is everyone watching the new glamorous and enticing Pan Am show on ABC? It certainly has stirred our fantasies about flying and travel… And more than that, I find that people are very curious about how it really is flying around the world as a crew member.

I’m asked all sorts of questions: What are my best insider tips and tricks? How do I stay safe when traveling and especially in hotels? What are my do’s and don’ts? What’s interesting is that when I give them my “hotel room to-do check list,” people act a bit surprised. That’s when I decided to ask a few of my frequent flyer friends and see what they do when they first get to their room.

My favorite response came from a worldly and savvy business woman. In a very matter of fact way, she said ”I go straight to my window and see what my view is like!” I bet most of you would agree that that’s as important as the quality of your room (I’m right there with you… I took this photo last month, an intoxicating view of Venice from my hotel room). So I let her in on what I was taught from day 1 as a crew member, and it is my routine to this day. I assured her that ”if you do these things (and it takes just a few minutes) you will have peace of mind that your room is clean, safe, and properly stocked”. [Read more →]

The years that I was a crew member, I was a member of the “family,” and we all took care of one another. These are the precautions I learned to take and have now adapted to traveling on my own.

I don’t want anyone to feel paranoid, but I also believe that taking these precautions will go a long way toward relieving any anxiety about being alone in a strange location.

1.     When you check in, ask a hotel staff member to accompany you to your room, especially if it’s late or if your room is in a remote location, and ask him or her to remain with you while you check the room for safety and locate the emergency exits.

2.     Check to be sure that the peep hole has not been reversed, which means that someone on the outside could be looking in at you rather than vice versa.

3.     Whenever you return to your room, look around to be sure no one is lurking nearby before you open the door. And if you do see someone, get back on the elevator, return to the lobby, and report it to the front desk. One of the biggest, brawniest, and most experienced flight attendants I know was attacked from behind while opening his door, robbed of his cash, passport, valuables and left in his room with a concussion. He felt invincible. Truth is, it can happen to anyone who isn’t paying attention. [Read more →]

All travelers need to think about safety—that’s just common sense. When you’re traveling with children, however, it’s particularly important for you to plan ahead. I certainly don’t want to make you uneasy about taking your kids on vacation—just the opposite.

If you have safety plans in place you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your vacation. So here are 5 tips for basic safety I believe everyone should have in place.

1.   Have a designated meeting place outside your hotel. If you’re separated for any reason—you might be in the restaurant having dinner while the kids are in your room—and there’s a fire drill or some other emergency that causes guests to be evacuated, having a spot to meet that’s close enough for the children to get to safely will avoid a great deal of potential confusion and unnecessary panic. [Read more →]

Sometimes those of us who travel the most are the people most likely to get careless. We’re pros, after all. We do this all the time. And if we haven’t yet had a bad experience or an emergency, we begin to think we never will. So the following 5 tips are just a reminder that whenever you’re traveling, it’s better to play it safe so that you don’t wind up being sorry.

1. Be smart about guarding your personal information. Being friendly is nice but sharing too much with strangers is foolish.

2. Plan for emergencies. Whether you’re traveling with business colleagues, family, or friends, decide on a spot where you’ll meet should you be separated or have to evacuate your hotel.

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Most of us assume that while we’re in the air our belongings are safe—after all, a thief would have no way to escape the scene of the crime. But most in-flight theft isn’t discovered until the plane has landed, passengers have disembarked, and it’s virtually impossible to identify and track down the thief. So the best thing you can do is to safeguard your valuables at all times.

1. Don’t put your passport, money, credit cards, or jewelry in your carry-on or stow your purse in an overhead bin. If possible keep your valuables on your person—in a pocket, a money belt, or even in your shoe. If you do have a purse, keep it close to you so that you’d be aware if someone were trying to open it. And take your purse and/or your valuables with you whenever you leave your seat.

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It used to be that all you had to worry about losing when you traveled was your luggage, your wallet, and your passport. With all the new technology, however, you actually have much more to lose. The problem is that when you log onto the Internet you may inadvertently be connecting with a cyber thief.

If you’re using a shared computer in a hotel, you could be leaving a cyber trail. Both Apple and Microsoft include tools for covering your tracks. (On Apple’s Safari browser menu, toggle “Private Browsing.” When you log off Microsoft Explorer go to Tools and click on Delete Browsing History to remove your passwords and the websites you’ve visited.) But that may not be enough because there may already be malware (malicious software) someone else has put in place to grab your passwords and other information.

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A recent article in the British newspaper The Daily Mail highlighted an aspect of travel safety you might not have considered. You might be safe while you’re away but you may inadvertently be putting your home and your property in danger.

It seems that a report prepared for a major insurance company by the reformed thief and star of BBC’s “Beat the Burglar” series, Michael Fraser has warned that posting messages on sites like Twitter and Facebook could be letting potential burglars know when you’re away. Fraser calls it “digital shopping for burglars” who can target victims through these sites and then gather more information about their neighborhood and their home by using other internet resources such as Google Street View.

If you or your children subscribe to these or other social networking sites, you’d be wise to avoid using them as a way to share your plans with potential thieves.