When on vacation, you are at an even greater risk than usual of having your credit card information lifted from a thief. This is particular true when on a family vacation since you will be so distracted by the kids. With all of their excitement and your concern about keeping an eye on them, it is easy to accidentally misplace your card, to have it stolen, or to simply drop it. So, in this installment, I am going to focus more on educating YOU while on vacation rather than educating your kids.
First of all, never leave your credit card in your hotel room. It is unfortunate, but cleaning service personnel have been known to steal credit cards or just credit card information when left in the room. If you do need to leave your card behind, be sure it is kept in the safe if your room has one.
Next, make sure to copy down your credit information before you head out on vacation and keep it seperate from your actual credit card. This includes the account number and the toll free customer service number. This way, if your card is misplaced or if you lose it, you can call the credit card company right away and close the account.
Since there is the possiblity that your card will be lost or stolen, you should also bring along an extra credit card just in case. I am embarrassed to admit that I have lost cards on two different vacations, one when I went to Shenandoah National Park and one time when I went to Wisconsin Dells. The fact that I had a back up card was a lifesaver when it came to enjoying the rest of the vacation.
Finally, if you are going out of the country, be sure to contact your credit card company ahead of time. With all of their anit-fraud software, your unusual spending in a foreign land may set off some alarms. So, to prevent hassles while on vacation (which is even more of a problem when you have antsy children waiting to move on to the next activity), call the 800 number ahead of time and have a great vacation!