As they say, there’s no place like home for the holidays (or Cabo). Which is why it comes as no surprise that the holidays make for one of the busiest travel seasons. Whether you’re taking a quick trip down the coast or planning an epic journey to far-flung, exotic destinations, scammers are busy planning too, finding new and ever-evolving ways to steal personal information from unsuspecting travelers.
But don’t pass on packing your bags just yet. There are simple, effective ways to keep your sensitive data secure this holiday season.
Plan wisely
- Be wary of too-good-to-be-true travel deals and be thoughtful about where you choose to make your travel bookings. There’s no shortage of illegitimate websites offering eye-catching travel deals. Don’t share your personal information on any website you can’t verify is the real deal.
Here’s how you can tell if a website is on the up-and-up:
- Check the URL for misspellings, extra characters, or funky domain endings like .biz, .net, etc.
- Legitimate websites typically have a padlock icon in the browser bar, which indicates the website is encrypted, but this doesn’t guarantee the website’s the real deal. A better indicator is when the website highlights clear policies regarding cancelations and refunds.
- Real websites have a physical address and contact information you can verify with a quick web search. If you discover there’s no Travel Gurus headquartered in Seattle like their website says, run!
You can be sure something’s off if a website asks for weird payment methods, like gift cards and wire transfers.
When booking, it’s always a good idea to use secure payment methods like credit cards. Golden 1 credit cards come with zero liability protection, fraud monitoring, and easy dispute resolution. See all of our credit products, including the Member Cash Rewards+ card, offering up to 4% cash back on everything from gas for your rental car to dining and food delivery.
Enable travel alerts
Nothing puts a damper on the holidays quicker than having your credit card locked and flagged for suspicious activity and locked. That’s why it’s always a good idea to let your financial institution know when you plan to travel. Our mobile and online banking tools make it easy to set up travel alerts and transaction notifications to keep things running smoothly.
Keep your guard up
Even with secure booking and transaction alerts on, you’ll want to stay vigilant.
- Avoid using public wi-fi when you’re doing any online banking or shopping. Hotels, airports, and coffee shops rarely have secured networks and hackers can intercept your data.
- Keep an eye out for skimming devices when you’re in unfamiliar places. Scammers hide these in ATM machines, gas pumps, and other (usually outdoor) payment terminals. If something looks tampered with, use contactless payment or find another way to pay or just move on.
With a little initiative and plenty of caution, you can travel safely and be sure your holidays are filled with cheer rather than stress about who’s hacked your information.
Golden 1 is here to help you stay secure wherever the season takes you. If you suspect fraud or need assistance, our team is just a click or call away.
Report suspicious emails claiming to be from Golden 1 by sending a screenshot or forwarding to reportsmishing@golden1.com. Reach us anytime at 1-877-465-3361.
For more resources keeping your information secure this season, visit the Golden 1 Security Center.
