Here is an interesting article by Mandy Rosser:
Your long awaited family vacation is finally here. You and the kids have been anxiously marking the days off the calendar in anticipation of the festivities of your upcoming getaway. There is truly nothing like a long overdue vacation and some good quality family time to make you smiling days before departure.
No matter where you are going, what you will see, and how you plan to get there, your number one goal is to keep your family safe. That doesn’t mean you have to be paranoid. With a few simple tips, you can have fun and make sure your clan is protected from identity thieves who may try to rain on your vacation parade.
Beware of Travel Scams
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Travel scams are a popular way thieves try to take advantage of you. After all, who doesn’t want an all expense paid trip to a tropical island? The scammers will contact you and claim that you are the winner of an exotic vacation and will always request that you pay a fee upfront. This usually leads to either paying more for the vacation package than it’s worth or paying for no vacation package at all—just a charge to your credit card. Be safe and search the internet for a vacation deal you can afford to take!
Concentrate on Fun
It is simply better to be safe than sorry during your family’s hard earned vacation time away. Companies like LifeLock help to protect identity theft from ruining your family vacation by monitoring your credit report for fraudulent activity and actually contacting you if there is suspicious activity. The only thing you will be worried about is how are you going to fit in all that relaxing.
Surfers Beware
You have to be on the lookout for sharks no matter where you surf on vacation, and that includes the Internet. Many vacationers often use the Internet while traveling to find a local place of interest, to make reservations or to find a nearby restaurant for lunch or dinner. Exploring the world wide web is great, just be sure to never enter credit card or other personal information on a public WiFi system. This will make you a target for scammers and could put a serious damper on your vacation if they hack into your bank or credit card account. Spend your time surfing on the ocean instead!
Keep the Kids Safely Entertained
According to Boston.com, there are some really cool apps that can keep the kids entertained while traveling. You don’t need to be a tech savvy parents to download the top new iPhone, iPad and Android apps that are sure to keep kids occupied through long waits at the airport, time spent in the train station or even sleepless evenings in the hotel room. Using these apps are great fun for the kids; just make sure they are using a secure Internet connection and that they do not lose the smartphone, which may contain much of your private, personal and secure information that you do not want in the wrong hands.
Don’t Be Afraid of Legitimate Last Minute Deals
EmpowHER.com suggests looking for last minute deals that allow for families to get great accommodations, discounted attraction tickets and a variety of other deals at a fraction of the cost. Airlines, hotels, cruise lines and theme parks offer deals that are aimed at families that can be available to travel within days after purchase. This is a great opportunity to save, as long as you know you are dealing with a reputable company and you actually search for the deal. If ever contacted by a suspicious phone call, hang up. Just be safe, be sure to find out all of the details and read the fine print.
