Top Travel Safety Tips to Avoid Fraud and Protect Your Money
For many, vacations can ironically become a source of stress rather than relaxation. Questions flood the mind: Will three hours be enough to travel just a few miles to the airport? Did you remember your headphones—and the backups? Are service charges the same as tips, or are those extra? Is there such a thing as SPF 1000?
These kinds of travel-related anxieties are exactly what scammers look to exploit. When you're preoccupied, rushing, or distracted, you're more vulnerable. Fraudsters take advantage through fake confirmation emails, sketchy prepaid tour deals, misleading rental images, and hidden charges. According to a report by the Mastercard Economics Institute, the travel industry faces a fraud rate more than double the average across all industries.
The same study reveals that fraud incidents climb by over 18% at warm-weather destinations in the summer, and jump more than 28% at winter hotspots during colder months.
As summer travel ramps up, I reached out to Mastercard’s cybersecurity experts for practical advice on safeguarding your money, identity, and data before and during your trip.
1. Stick to Trusted Booking Sites
Only use well-known, credible platforms when reserving flights, hotels, or excursions. Do some research—read reviews and verify contact details like a phone number or physical address before handing over your payment details.
2. Use Your Own Devices and Secure Connections
Avoid booking anything on shared or public devices. Stay off public Wi-Fi at airports, train stations, and cafes. These networks are often not secure, putting your personal info at risk. Instead, use mobile data or wait until you're on a secure, private network. Also, make sure your devices have the latest security updates installed.
3. Understand Your Travel Coverage
Before traveling, check what protections your credit card or bank offers, including insurance and fraud coverage. Know how the chargeback process works in case of disputes or unauthorized charges. You might also want to notify your card provider about your travel plans to avoid legitimate transactions being flagged.
4. Safeguard Your Tech
Enable multifactor authentication for your accounts—this adds an extra layer of security using a passcode and biometric ID. When charging your device on the go, use a traditional wall plug instead of USB ports, which can transfer data and pose risks.
5. Back Up Digitally and Bring Paper Copies
Set your device to automatically back up data to the cloud so you can still access essential documents if you lose it. Carry physical copies of important travel info, including a photo of the inside of your passport with the barcode, just in case you need a replacement.
6. Know Your PINs and Contactless Limits
Make sure you know your credit and debit card PINs, especially since some countries require them for transactions. Also, be aware of contactless payment limits in your destination to avoid surprises at checkout.
7. Enable Transaction Alerts
Set up real-time notifications for your card transactions. This allows you to spot unauthorized charges quickly. If something looks suspicious, contact your card issuer right away.
8. Have Backup Payment Methods
Keep a second payment option, like a spare card, in a separate bag in case your wallet goes missing. Also, load your cards into a mobile wallet so you can make purchases even without your physical card.
9. Keep Personal Details Private
Avoid oversharing your travel plans or current location on social media. This could signal to thieves that you're not home. Similarly, be cautious about what details you include in your out-of-office email replies.
10. Act Fast if Your Card Is Lost
If your card goes missing, report it to your bank immediately. If you've added it to your digital wallet and still have your phone, your issuer may be able to update your digital card so you can keep making purchases while waiting for a replacement.
These kinds of travel-related anxieties are exactly what scammers look to exploit. When you're preoccupied, rushing, or distracted, you're more vulnerable. Fraudsters take advantage through fake confirmation emails, sketchy prepaid tour deals, misleading rental images, and hidden charges. According to a report by the Mastercard Economics Institute, the travel industry faces a fraud rate more than double the average across all industries.
The same study reveals that fraud incidents climb by over 18% at warm-weather destinations in the summer, and jump more than 28% at winter hotspots during colder months.
As summer travel ramps up, I reached out to Mastercard’s cybersecurity experts for practical advice on safeguarding your money, identity, and data before and during your trip.
1. Stick to Trusted Booking Sites
Only use well-known, credible platforms when reserving flights, hotels, or excursions. Do some research—read reviews and verify contact details like a phone number or physical address before handing over your payment details.
2. Use Your Own Devices and Secure Connections
Avoid booking anything on shared or public devices. Stay off public Wi-Fi at airports, train stations, and cafes. These networks are often not secure, putting your personal info at risk. Instead, use mobile data or wait until you're on a secure, private network. Also, make sure your devices have the latest security updates installed.
3. Understand Your Travel Coverage
Before traveling, check what protections your credit card or bank offers, including insurance and fraud coverage. Know how the chargeback process works in case of disputes or unauthorized charges. You might also want to notify your card provider about your travel plans to avoid legitimate transactions being flagged.
4. Safeguard Your Tech
Enable multifactor authentication for your accounts—this adds an extra layer of security using a passcode and biometric ID. When charging your device on the go, use a traditional wall plug instead of USB ports, which can transfer data and pose risks.
5. Back Up Digitally and Bring Paper Copies
Set your device to automatically back up data to the cloud so you can still access essential documents if you lose it. Carry physical copies of important travel info, including a photo of the inside of your passport with the barcode, just in case you need a replacement.
6. Know Your PINs and Contactless Limits
Make sure you know your credit and debit card PINs, especially since some countries require them for transactions. Also, be aware of contactless payment limits in your destination to avoid surprises at checkout.
7. Enable Transaction Alerts
Set up real-time notifications for your card transactions. This allows you to spot unauthorized charges quickly. If something looks suspicious, contact your card issuer right away.
8. Have Backup Payment Methods
Keep a second payment option, like a spare card, in a separate bag in case your wallet goes missing. Also, load your cards into a mobile wallet so you can make purchases even without your physical card.
9. Keep Personal Details Private
Avoid oversharing your travel plans or current location on social media. This could signal to thieves that you're not home. Similarly, be cautious about what details you include in your out-of-office email replies.
10. Act Fast if Your Card Is Lost
If your card goes missing, report it to your bank immediately. If you've added it to your digital wallet and still have your phone, your issuer may be able to update your digital card so you can keep making purchases while waiting for a replacement.
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