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 Family Travel Safety
Secure your place of residence:
- Make sure the locks on all doors and windows are in good working order. USE THEM!
- Engrave all your valuables with your Driver's License number.
- Never leave your residence key hidden outside.
- Make your house/apartment appear that someone is at home. Use timers for lights and radios.
- Have a neighbor or friend pick up mail, packages, and newspapers.
- Leave trip plans and an emergency phone number with trusted neighbor and friends.
- Arrange to have grass mowed while you're gone.
- Activate your home alarm, if you have one.
Packing your Bags:
- Clean out your wallet or purse before you go. Take only essential credit cards.
- Carry your purse close to your body, or wallet in an inside front pocket.
- Pack as lightly as possible. Lots of heavy, cumbersome bags will slow you down and make you more vulnerable to getting robbed.
- Expensive, designer luggage can draw unneeded attention to your belongings. Pack your things in inconspicuous bags.
- Keep a separate record of the contents of checked luggage. Keep anything of value such as medicine and jewelry in a carry-on that stays with you.
- If you are going on an extended vacation, consider shipping large bags to your destination in advance. For the return trip, mail bulky new purchases home, or ask merchants to do it for you.
On the Road:
- Never carry large amounts of cash. Use travelers' checks.
- If you have to carry large amounts of money, do not display it openly.
- Keep a record of traveler's check numbers and your credit card numbers in a safe place.
- Have telephone numbers to call in case your credit card or checks are stolen or lost.
- Never advertise your plans, travel routes, or the amount of money you are carrying to strangers.
- If your car breaks down, raise the hood and attach a white cloth to the car antenna.
- If you must leave your car, keep all passengers together.
- Carry a cellular phone.
Sightseeing:
- Ask for directions at a hotel/motel on how to get to those attractions you want to see.
- Select your guides carefully.
- Ask if there are any areas in town you should avoid.
- If the group plans to go off separately, be sure to make a plan for getting back together at an appointed time.
Hotel and Motel Security:
- Determine the most direct route to and from your room, to the fire escapes, elevators, and the nearest phone.
- When occupying or leaving your room, use all auxiliary locking devices on doors and windows.
- Use the door viewer to identify anyone requesting entry.
- Unpack and place belongings in the closet and dresser.
- Arrange your things so you will know if anything is missing.
HOT TOPICS
As the Weather Heats Up, So Does Travel Fraud
The arrival of summer usually means vacation time for many people. Unfortunately, as the weather heats up, so do travel-related scams. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be cautious and ask questions up-front, to help avoid unpleasant and costly surprises after-the-fact.
When choosing a travel or vacation-related company, deal with members of a professional association, such as the American Society of Travel Agents and National Tour Association. If you're not familiar with a company, get its complete name, address and local telephone number. Check the company out with the Better Business Bureau. Also, avoid buying from any firm that insists on sending a courier to your home or office for immediate payment or asks you to see your payment by overnight delivery. That business may be trying to avoid detection and charges of mail or wire fraud.
Verify arrangements before you pay. You should receive complete details in writing about any trip prior to paying for it. These details should include the total price, cancellation and change penalties, and specific information on all components of the package. Get the names, addresses and telephone numbers for the lodgings, airlines and cruise ships you'll be using.
When paying, use a credit card to make your purchase. If you don't get what you paid for, you may be able to dispute the charges with your credit card company. However, don't give out your credit card account number over the telephone in response to a telemarketer who claims they need your card number for identification or verification. They don't. Your account number should be provided only to companies that you know are reputable, and used only to bill you for goods and services.
For more information on Hot Topics from the Better Business Bureau, call (661) 322-2077.
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