It's vacation time, but a state consumer affairs spokesperson says it's not time to relax as identity thieves can strike quickly if you let your guard down. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Affairs spokesperson Jerad Albracht says a few suggestions include using a credit card instead of a debit card as the credit card offers more protection if lost or stolen. says be careful not to take along identity cards like Social Security, Medicare and banking cards. He says be very careful of ATM machines. A growing concern are skimmers. A card reader can fit over the actual ATM reader and the other is an in-line reader which can be put on gas pumps..
"....take a good look at the machine before you use it. Make sure there's nothing loose, there's no broken security seals. Take a look around for any out of place pen cameras or small portable cameras tracking your key entry for your PIN number...."
Jerad Albracht says backup all material on smartphones and the like in case it's lost or stolen. He says always use caution on public Wi-Fi networks. Only use secure Wi-Fi access points and avoid logging into online banking or other password-protected services from public networks whenever possible. He also says when you are away from home, don't post stories or pictures on social media saying something to the effect of "We're On Vacation".
He says tighten security settings on your devices before leaving. More information is on the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protectionwebsite.
