The name game
By Dave Demerjian
Business Traveler, April 2007

Each year, nearly 10 million Americans become victims of identity theft, some spending years of their lives and tens of thousands of dollars working to clear their names. Busy business travelers rushing through crowded airports, hotels and other public places make ideal targets for ID thieves on the prowl for personal information.

How do you prevent it from happening to you? "The bad news is that you really can't," says Linda Foley, founder and executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be such a growing problem." Mari J. Frank, a lawyer, privacy expert and author of the book Safeguard Your Identity, agrees. "People need to know that sometimes it's just out of their hands."

But Foley and Frank say that while there's no sure way to prevent ID theft, there are plenty of simple steps business travelers can take to minimize their risk and protect themselves when they're on the road.

1. Dump your debit card
"People should never use a debit card when they travel," says Frank. "Use credit cards instead." Why? Because debit card purchases are deducted from a checking account at the time they're made, which means the cash has been siphoned out of your account before you're able to dispute fraudulent charges. And while the Electronic Funds Transfer Act provides some protection to victims of debit card theft, the Fair Credit Billing Act, which applies to credit cards, offers superior protection to consumers.

2. Put your wallet on a diet
"Never carry your Social Security card when you travel," advises Frank, who says a Social Security number is all thieves need to begin a full identity takeover. Frank suggests that travelers with Medicare cards leave them at home and instead carry a photocopy with the last four numbers (which are the same as your Social Security number) blacked out. "You'll be covered if you need health care," she says. "And you're protecting yourself." Foley adds that ID thieves love getting their hands on checks, which are easy to duplicate and use, so these should be left at home, too.

3. Make copies, and keep them safe
"If your wallet is stolen, you'll need to kick into gear immediately," says Foley. She recommends that travelers photocopy the fronts and backs of their credit cards, driver's license, and passport, and leave them home with someone they trust. "With one phone call, you'll have all the information you need to start canceling accounts. And a copy of your license will allow you to board your flight home." Frank also suggests investigating whether one of your credit card providers will register all of your different cards. "If you're robbed, you need to make just one phone call, and they do the rest."

4. Get a passport, even if you don't need one
Don't see any international trips in your future? Get a passport anyway. "Identity thieves have been known to open passports using stolen information," says Frank. "But they can't do it to you if a passport already exists in your name."

5. Secure your data
"You wouldn't believe the amount of personal data that people carry around unsecured on laptops and BlackBerrys," says Frank with disbelief. "You need to be sure that any sensitive information is password-protected and encrypted." Foley agrees, "You shouldn't be able to get past the opening screen without a password." She adds that even portable flash drives can now be protected with passwords, and that several PDA makers are introducing fingerprint readers to provide extra security. Frank says that if travelers must travel with sensitive data, they should consider carrying it on a CD or flash drive rather than leaving it on their laptop. "At least these can be easily locked in the hotel safe."

6. Look out when you log in
Frank urges travelers to use caution when logging into wireless networks, to verify that they are secure, and even then, to use them with caution. "It's ok to be a little bit paranoid when you're using someone else's network," she says. "My son called me from a coffee shop one day and told me that he was sitting there paying his bills online. I couldn't believe it."

7. Carry it on, and keep it close
"I would never put anything in my checked baggage that I consider valuable," says Foley, who packs items like jewelry and medication in her carry-on luggage when she travels. And Frank says that while it's not a popular tip with frequent fliers looking to maximize legroom, they should keep carry-on luggage under the seat in front of them rather than in the overhead bin. "You really need your things to be a in a place where you can see them."

8. Take caution at the hotel
"Hotels don't run background checks on all employees, and a hotel room is a wonderful place to collect information," says Foley, who recommends that guests place laptops in the hotel safe when leaving their rooms. And she advises hotel guests to be careful about leaving personal papers lying around. "Travelers sometimes pay their bills and do their banking while they're on the road. You don't want financial statements and sensitive information getting into the wrong hands."

9. Watch what you're doing
"When people are traveling, they've got their minds on business," says Frank. "But they're much more vulnerable when distracted." She urges travelers to never leave luggage, laptops, purses, or briefcases unattended, especially in airport bathrooms, and to watch for shoulder surfers when using laptops or PDAs. "It's difficult for busy business travelers to stay focused on their surroundings, but vigilance is essential." Adds Foley: "Anything that is out of your sight is basically out of your control."

10. Hold off on holding the mail
It sounds counterintuitive, but Frank says stopping mail or newspaper delivery before a long trip might not be such a good move. "You don't want to tip off dishonest employees that you're out of town," she says. Instead, she recommends asking a trusted neighbor to pick up your paper and mail, or invest in one of the large, locking mailboxes that can hold up to three weeks of mail.

11. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Even travelers who take every precaution can be victimized by identity thieves. "Your information is stored inside all kinds of databases, and there's not much you can do about it," says Frank. "Nothing you do will totally eliminate the risk." Foley agrees, but adds that another thing consumers can do is fight for legislation that will protect consumer rights and assist identity theft victims.

Think you're a victim? Take action.
If you suspect you might be a victim of identity theft, taking these steps
immediately can make resolving your case much easier later:

Establish a fraud alert –
Contact the three credit-reporting agencies (see Sidebar, page 33) and ask them to tag your account with a fraud alert. This will flag your file so that creditors must contact you before extending credit.

Contact card issuers and bank –
Explain your situation and then ask them to cancel your accounts and issue new cards and checks with a different account number.

Order credit reports –
Monitor them carefully, and report any fraudulent activity or accounts to both the credit bureaus and credit issuers. Reorder and recheck your reports every couple of months.

Call the police –
Notify authorities in both your home city and the place where the theft occurred. Different police departments have different resources for dealing with identity theft, but filing reports in both places creates a better paper trail and can help strengthen the case for prosecution later.

Contact the Federal Trade Commission –
While the FTC does not investigate cases directly, it collects identity theft data and shares this data with authorities nationwide.

Resources

Equifax
888-766-0008
www.equifax.com

Experian
888-397-3742
www.experian.com/fraud

TransUnion
800-680-7289
www.transunion.com

FTC Identity Theft Hotline
877-438-4338
www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Identity Theft Resource Center
858-693-7935
www.idtheftcenter.org

Identity Theft Prevention and Survival
www.identitytheft.org