Privacy Means Profit: Prevent Identity Theft and Secure You and Your Bottom Line

Chapter 14. Travel with Care: Business Trips and Vacations

Traveling safely and preventing data theft go hand in hand. Because we carry so much identity with us when we travel and are much less organized when on the road, and because thieves target travelers, the likelihood of identity theft or data breach increases drastically while we're on vacation or traveling for business.

A Dream Vacation Turns into a Nightmare

You are planning the vacation of your dreams on the back end of a business trip to Europe. You can almost taste the pasta Bolognese you read about at that out-of-the-way trattoria halfway down an ancient blind alley in Tuscany.

But there's one area you overlooked that can turn that long-anticipated adventure into a nightmare: The potential theft of your most-valuable travel companion—your identity.

Fast-forward: You found the trattoria, and have savored the last bite of pasta, drained your pitcher of vino rosso, and happily presented your debit card to the waiter. He looks concerned as he walks back to your table to tell you that your card has been declined. It doesn't take long to discover that a thief has emptied your bank account and there is nothing left to pay for your dream vacation. Likewise, you discover, your credit cards are useless, frozen tight due to maxed-out credit limits. Hopefully, you have a backup plan (cash) to pay for the meal. Hopefully, the thief hasn't also stolen your passport and isn't travelling under your identity with complete immunity.

But the ...