Economic security tips for when you travel

Whether you're planning a road trip to the mountains or a flight to an exotic destination, it's essential to keep your finances and personal information safe while traveling. Keep these helpful tips from the Elevations fraud team in mind when planning your next trip.

How to prepare for your trip

• Make copies of important documents: make copies of your passport, driver's license, or other form of identification and carry them with you when you travel in case you need proof of identification to leave your destination.
• Hold your mail: Have your mail held at the United States Postal Service. They can hold it for up to 30 days while you're away. This will prevent mail from piling up in your absence or falling into the wrong hands. 
• Schedule your payments: pay your bills before your trip or set up automatic payments before you leave. This will help you avoid logging into accounts with sensitive personal information while you're traveling.
• Make sure your devices and applications are up to date: update your devices with available software patches or operating system updates. Updating via your secure home internet connection is much safer than doing so while traveling.
• Share your plans with your family: While it's not advisable to post your travel plans on social media or include travel locations and dates in your out-of-office email reply, you should inform some family members or close friends of your travel plans.
• Minimize what you carry: Review your wallet or purse and only bring what's necessary for the trip. Remove anything that could identify you or be easily lost, such as student IDs, gym cards, or old receipts.
• Inform your financial institution: Contact your credit union or bank to let them know you will be traveling. This will help prevent your charges from being flagged as suspicious activity or declined.

While traveling

• Avoid using public Wi-Fi: It's tempting to use public Wi-Fi, but be careful. Hackers also use public Wi-Fi to access and steal personal data such as credit card information and social security numbers. One option to help keep your information safe while using public Wi-Fi is to use a virtual private network (VPN), which encrypts your web browsing data.
• Use credit cards: Whenever possible, use your credit cards instead of cash or debit cards. If your wallet is stolen, debit cards may offer less protection, and dealing with fraudulent charges can be less problematic with a credit card. Plus, using a credit card means you can avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
• Get cash safely: If you need to withdraw cash while traveling, use your debit card; using credit cards for cash withdrawals usually incurs higher fees. Only use reputable ATMs at financial institutions you recognize. If you're an Elevations member, you can use our branch locator to find a map of CO-OP credit union ATMs and branches.
• Separate and hide your cards and cash: Avoid keeping all your money and cards in your wallet or purse. By separating them and keeping them in different places, you'll minimize the chances of someone stealing all your money and cards at the same time.

Enjoy your trip and feel secure knowing that you are taking steps to protect your identity and your finances while traveling.

Are you concerned that your Elevations Credit Union account may be at risk? Email our fraud team at [email protected].

Are you concerned that your Elevations credit or debit card may have been compromised? Report it as soon as possible. To report fraud or dispute a transaction, please call 888.346.4412.

Have a good trip!