You know that pit in your stomach when you realize you brain farted – and misplaced something important?
Especially things like your wedding ring, a favorite watch, car keys or credit cards when you’re traveling.
Take if from a guy…..we lose everything. We know that only rookies have no Plan B.
Let’s start with being ‘Compromised’.
The big biz in credit cards is in ‘Skimming’. Over $16B worth of fraud per year.
- When you run your card through an ATM, Gas pump or a small scanning device at a convenience store, the device (which is so small you won’t notice it) takes a picture of the data on your card (which has a lot more data than the bank will let on). i.e: Cardholder name, Card Account#, Expiration date, verification number and security code. Everything they need to scam you.
- Contactless Payments. A thief carries around a small card reader and bumps into your pockets and your bags hoping a contactless card will respond.
- During a purchase where the seller takes your card in the back room (like at a restaurant) and your card gets passed around for all to use.
- Online…..we have all been bitten by online websites who have great marketing but a horrible product or one that never gets shipped.
Credit card companies sell your data
And really smart companies buy your data from the brokers like Experian, Equifax, and Epsilon (Yes, these are the big credit bureaus). D&B, LexusNexus and of course American Express and your local bank. Acxiom is the largest company you have never heard of……for a good reason. The Gubment uses them for data collection.
So how do you protect yourself?
- Carry cash & valuables in a body pouch around your waist. Amazon » Check PricesBody Pouches for safekeeping your valuables
- Amazon » Check PricesRFID blocking wallets. These protect your credit cards by preventing digital readers from accessing your data.
- Bring a lot of $1 and $5 bills with you so you don’t have to use your credit cards. And you can pick the amount you want to tip.
- Go to an All-Inclusive Resort. That way you don’t need a lot of money……your credit cards can stay safely stashed in the room safe.
- Watch yourself when taking mass transit like trains and buses,
The Upside of an All-Inclusive – The guests are honest.
Once you have identified your missing item
A lot of items are turned in by guests who have found them lying around.
A lot of other people who know what its like to lose something.
Check with the front desk or Concierge to see if they have a “lost and found”. You might be surprised!
Most of the time the cash will be missing, but it sure saves having to call all those credit card companies.
BTW…..take a photocopy of your passport, license and credit cards to bring with you. Just in case you need the numbers on the back to call, and keep the copies in your room safe.
Personally, since I don’t like people in my room when I am not there, I hang the ‘Do Not Disturb’ on the door to keep the hotel staff away from my room.
I’ll keep your wallet warm for ya…..
~Jake
P.S. Don’t miss 1 [NEW] Riu Aquarelle – 700 rooms in Trelawny, Jamaica
P.P.S Don’t miss 2 RIU Reopens Hotels in the Caribbean, The Bahamas, and Mexico
“A vacation is what you take – when you can no longer take what you have been taking.”
