Whether traveling from one end of town to another, to a different city or state, or flying to a foreign country, there is always risk pertaining to safety and theft. Although unnerving, the good news is that you have viable options for preventing bad things from happening. By making a few different decisions, you can dramatically reduce risk while traveling.
Staying Protected When Traveling
- Be Aware—Be aware of things on your person, such as a purse, laptop bag, or wallet. However, you also need to be aware of luggage trailing behind. While luggage on wheels makes it easier to get through airports, it is also a big target for criminals since it does not get your full attention. For protection, keep everything of importance, such as money, credit cards, visa, and passport, close to your body and tucked inside a shirt. Other things can always be replaced if stolen.
- Bogus Wallet and Phone—Consider traveling with a “throw-away” phone and wallet. The phone would not actually work and inside the wallet you would keep $10 or $15, as well as fillers such as grocery store discount cards. If you’re ever approached to hand over your phone and wallet, you simply give the crook the bogus items while holding onto your real phone and wallet in an inconspicuous place.
- Keep Sources of Cash Separated—At no time should you ever carry all your cash, credit cards, and traveler’s checks in one place. For instance, if you keep money and cards in your wallet and it is stolen, you lose everything. Instead, put your funds in several different places on your body or hidden in your hotel room.
- Photocopy Travel Documents—Having travel documents stolen, especially when in another country, is frustrating and potentially dangerous. For optimal protection, print all travel documents, leaving copies at home. Then take a small wireless scanner with you on your trip so if something is stolen, a family member or friend can simply send you a copy of the respective document via scan.
- Be Wary of People—While most people you meet while traveling are nice and honest, there is always the chance of crossing paths with a criminal. While you can enjoy small talk, never divulge your real name, the hotel where you are staying, the company you work for, and so on to people you just met. You also want to prevent physical interaction with strangers, since some crooks are extremely skilled at stealing money, credit cards, and even jewelry.
Depending on a Professional Limo Service
When traveling to a new city, state, or country, you face potential risk in driving. By not knowing where the more dangerous areas are, you also face potential safety issues. For this reason, you should always use the services of a trusted limo company.
