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The holidays bring people together. People will hit the road and take to the skies to see friends, family, and loved ones.

If you have travel plans this season, it's a good idea to have everything you need so your trip goes as smoothly as possible.

Having your essentials handy is a given, but there’s another item on your list you should check twice before leaving. In this case, we’re talking about protecting your financial information.

Here are a few things to remember while packing your bags and finalizing your travel preparations.

1) Make Sure You Have Access to Your Cards

We recommend letting your financial institution know about your plans if you’re traveling out of state or abroad this season. The last thing you want is to be far from home and unable to use any of the cards you carry.

Nowadays, many financial institutions and businesses use credit card fraud detection tools. One such tool is the ability to decline transactions automatically if the financial institution or payment processor suspects a card is being used for fraud.

How places detect fraud preemptively will vary. Some types of activities that could trigger fraud detection include:

• Making large purchases at once
• Making many transactions within a short time
• Using a card in another country or unusual location
• Purchasing many things from different places at once
  

If the payment processor’s system detects something fishy with card use, it may decline a transaction and require the cardholder to take action before the card is usable again.

Imagine traveling around the world only for your cards to be locked out on your very first meal!

Enable travel notifications for your debit and credit cards. It’s a request you can send to your card servicer to let them know you are traveling. Doing this allows you to use your debit or credit card seamlessly—and reduces the chances that your card will be declined.

2) Use Hold Mail to Guard Against Mail Fraud and Check Washing

Your mailbox is a treasure chest just waiting to be picked. Although this sounds outdated, thieves still pick from mailboxes, hoping to score financial information and checks to wash.

Mailboxes (and doorsteps) become much more likely to be plundered during the holidays. Think about what you might be getting in the mail while you’re away:

• Family letters with checks and gift cards
• Your credit card and financial statements
• Packages from online retailers
  

All of these things are worthy targets for thieves. You can reduce the risk of mail theft by temporarily putting a hold on deliveries.

The United States Postal Service offers Hold Mail. It’s a service where any mail sent through the USPS to your address is instead held at your local post office until a date you specify. You can have mail held for up to 30 days. When you return, you go to your post office to pick up all your mail.

If you’re expecting packages through other carriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.), you’ll need to make arrangements with them, too. Contact the mail carrier with your tracking number to learn about your options. Depending on the carrier, you can:

• Have the package delivered at a later date
• Arrange for pickup at one of their mailing centers
• Reroute the package to another address
  

You can also ask a neighbor to look after your mail. Just make sure they’re comfortable doing this favor for you, and confirm that they don’t have travel plans while you’re away.

3) Be Aware of Your Digital Footprint

Internet access is something we take for granted today. While traveling, you or your family might be bringing a bevy of devices that require access to a Wi-Fi network to get the most from them.

Be wary if a restaurant, hotel, or other business says it offers free Wi-Fi. These networks and hot spots are often unsecured, meaning anybody can access them, including hackers and cybercriminals.

Public Wi-Fi networks are a significant vulnerability to your Internet security. Hackers exploit these networks to find a backdoor to other people’s devices. They can even attempt to install malware that can hijack your phone, tablet, or computer.

Airports and hotels might also have charging stations for visitors to use. While this service might be convenient, it is also risky. Thieves can rig charging stations to connect devices to a skimmer or other tool to hijack them.

You can reduce the chances of getting hacked while traveling by doing the following:

• Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi networks
• Use your mobile network where possible
• Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use
• Bring your own power bank and charging devices
• Don’t scan suspicious QR codes
  

Traveling during the holidays can be fun. With the proper preparations and awareness, you can live this time of year to the fullest. Keep your information secure while you’re taking in this season’s sights.

While you’re out and about this holiday season, always remember to stay SAFE. Visit First Florida’s Scam and Fraud Education page to learn more about how to protect your information from theft.