Press Release
Top 10 Tips For Avoiding Identity Theft During Business Travel
06-Aug-2010
Europ Assistance USA Shares ID Theft Prevention Tips for NBTA Attendees
Houston, TX and Bethesda, MD – August 6, 2010 – Heading to the 2010 National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition? Europ Assistance USA (EA USA), assisting corporate customers and employees, reminds the more than 5,500 travel managers, colleagues and peers heading to Houston for this year’s NBTA convention to heed the following top 10 tips to prevent identify theft while traveling.
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According to recent reports, hotels are a favored target of hackers, leaving hotel guests at greater risk for identify theft. Check your credit card statement online immediately following checkout and upon returning from your trip and review for any unauthorized charges.
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Do not publicize business travel plans and dates on social networking sites. Privacy settings on networks like Facebook and Twitter do not guarantee your information will not be accessed by unauthorized viewers.
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Carry only vital items, and nothing that includes your social security number, in your wallet or purse. Pickpockets can obtain your business and personal financial information, increasing your risk of identity theft.
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Do not carry personal documents in checked luggage where you have no control over the security of your belongings.
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Make copies of all important documents (passport, itinerary, reservation confirmations, credit cards) and give them to trusted family and friends before you leave so that they can help you contact the appropriate third parties in case your wallet and/or bags are stolen.
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Do not use or carry debit cards. A stolen debit card can be used to immediately empty an account, preventing you from being able to obtain cash if needed.
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Carry no more than two credit cards. The second card is only to serve as a back-up should the primary become damaged or shut down by the issuer. (Fraudulent events can occur that cause issuers to opt for shutting down a person’s account, which would leave you without access to funds.)
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Check your bank and credit card activity from a secure online connection and/or at an ATM at least once during your trip. This will help you quickly detect whether you have become a victim of "skimming,” which often occurs in restaurants and bars where copies of the magnetic strip are made in order to make a counterfeit card.
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Use hotel room safes or hotel safes to store all valuables, including anything that contains personal identity information that could be used by identity thieves.
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Beware of wifi hotspots, as they are usually unsecure and unencrypted. Make sure you are using a firewall to protect your data and, when possible, limit your access and avoid doing any financial transactions or using passwords with your accounts.
Travel managers and others attending NBTA 2010 can find out more about identify theft prevention and resolution assistance, as well as other protective services for the corporate traveler, by visiting the Europ Assistance USA booth (#1765) at any time during the convention.
About Europ Assistance USA
Europ Assistance USA takes care of corporate customers and employees when the unexpected happens, anywhere in the world, providing immediate support and assistance to individuals in times of emergency and distress. Leveraging its worldwide network of 38 always-open multilingual assistance centers and 410,000 partners in 208 countries and territories, EA USA offers personalized medical travel assistance, identity theft resolution, data breach response and beneficiary assistance services to insurance companies, financial institutions, corporations and government organizations. Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, EA USA is owned by Generali and part of the Europ Assistance Group.
