Travelling usually means showing your passport and payment details more often than at home. Most of these checks are routine and necessary. The real risks come from scams, unnecessary copying and careless handling, and a few habits can help reduce them.
Book carefully and pay wisely
Use a reputable provider or booking service, and type its address yourself rather than following links in emails or texts. A padlock or HTTPS means the connection is encrypted, not that the business is genuine, as scam sites can use it too. If you are unsure about a public wireless network, use mobile data for payments.
Be wary of unexpected payment requests, even through a booking platform's own messaging system, because accommodation providers' accounts are sometimes compromised. Check directly with the platform or provider first. If asked for a passport copy, ask why it is needed and how to send it securely, bearing in mind that some accommodation providers have legal registration duties.
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act can protect credit card purchases where the cash price of a single item or service is more than £100 and no more than £30,000. Paying only the deposit by card can qualify, though booking agents and some payment arrangements can complicate this. MoneyHelper explains the rules. ATOL protects qualifying flight inclusive holidays and some flight only bookings if the organiser fails, so check what applies and keep any ATOL certificate.
Protect your devices, cards and documents
Your devices may hold sensitive information and give access to important accounts. Take only what you need, with strong passcodes, updated software and remote tracking switched on. Remote wiping may not work straight away if a device is offline, so note how to contact your mobile provider to suspend your SIM.
Enable two step verification on your email and other important accounts wherever available, and follow your bank's security guidance. Keep recovery codes or a trusted second device somewhere you can reach if your phone disappears. The National Cyber Security Centre and Get Safe Online publish free guidance.
Leave unnecessary cards and anything showing your National Insurance number at home. If you take a backup payment card, keep it apart from your main wallet. Some countries require visitors to carry original identification, so check the FCDO travel advice before deciding where to keep your passport. Hotel safes also vary in security.
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Keep your address and location private
Avoid displaying your full home address on luggage. Use a covered tag with your name and an international format phone number, and put contact details inside the case. Airlines trace checked bags mainly through baggage tags and reference numbers, so contact details help but do not guarantee a bag's return.
- Remove old baggage stickers and boarding pass stubs, as barcodes can hold booking information.
- Do not post photos of your boarding pass or passport online.
- Consider sharing holiday photos once home, and turn off location data in photos.
- Review who can see your shared location and any shared cloud accounts.
- Take alerts about unknown Bluetooth trackers seriously, especially if stalking or an abusive partner is a concern.
- If your room number is said aloud at reception, ask discreetly whether another room is available.
If something goes wrong
Carry printed booking confirmations, insurance details and emergency numbers in case your phone is lost or flat. A photocopy of your passport photo page, kept apart from the passport, can help with a replacement, but it is not a travel document. Store any digital copies securely rather than in an unprotected inbox.
If your passport is lost or stolen abroad, report it promptly. GOV.UK explains how to cancel it and whether you are eligible for an emergency travel document. Report theft to local police where appropriate and keep any reference for your insurer. Contact your bank immediately about missing cards.
If you think your identity has been misused, use the Report Fraud service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or call Police Scotland on 101. If you are in immediate danger, call the emergency services. Check your credit files with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, as their records can differ; free statutory reports are available. Cifas Protective Registration is a paid service that prompts extra identity checks on applications in your name. It is not a credit freeze and cannot guarantee protection.
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