Smart summer travel: How to protect your financial accounts on vacation

You packed exactly what you need for a summer getaway…feels good, right? Bringing that same preparedness energy to securing your financial accounts before you get out of town can help you truly relax on vacation, knowing your money is safely locked away from wandering digital eyes.

Here is a practical guide to protecting your accounts, spotting summer scams, and traveling safely this season.

What you’ll learn

• Lighten up your physical (and digital) pockets
• Skip free Wi-Fi to keep your funds secure
• Brush off sneaky travel text-scams
• Lock the front door of your funds
• Give your account history a quick post-trip sweep

Lighten up your physical (and digital) pockets

Carrying fewer cards simplifies tracking your money while you travel. You can instantly reduce your risk of theft or loss by leaving your extra credit cards, checkbooks, and spare debit cards locked in a safe at home.

• Take only what you need: Pack one primary credit card for major purchases, one debit card for cash withdrawals, and a backup card stored securely in your hotel room.
• Set up travel alerts: Let your credit union or bank know where you are going before you leave. A quick tap in your mobile banking app prevents your card from being flagged for unusual out-of-state activity.
• Lock down your logins: Keep hackers out by setting up two-factor authentication on your financial apps. Adding this simple second step helps ensure that even if someone guesses your password, they cannot access your funds.
• Protect your device: Ensure your phone is secured with a strong passcode or biometric lock (like FaceID or a fingerprint). If your phone goes missing at the beach, this keeps your payment apps completely off-limits.

Skip free Wi-Fi to keep your funds secure

Using public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, and cafes can save your mobile data, but these open networks are incredibly easy for scammers to intercept.

To keep your personal information private, simply switch off your Wi-Fi and use your cellular data network whenever you check your bank balance, pay a credit card bill, or transfer money. If you frequently travel internationally, consider investing in a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) or a temporary international data plan.

Brush off sneaky travel text scams

Scammers know that summer travelers are constantly checking their phones for flight updates, hotel confirmations, and rental car details. They use this distraction to send fake text messages about "delayed flights" or "canceled bookings" containing malicious links.

• Pause before you click. You can easily verify unexpected travel alerts by going directly to the airline or hotel's official app or website. And always closely review the “From” email address for strange domain names and misspellings that are tip-offs that the sender is not authentic.
• Ignore urgent payment requests. If you receive an aggressive text claiming your account will be locked unless you pay a fee, delete it. Legitimate financial institutions do not demand instant payments via text.

Lock the front door of your funds

Misplacing your wallet or phone while traveling is stressful, but there is no need to panic: You have the tools to act quickly.

If you cannot find your debit or credit card, use your mobile banking app to instantly freeze or lock the card. This stops any new purchases from going through. (The best part is that you can always easily unfreeze it later if you find the card at the bottom of your beach bag.)

If your phone goes missing, borrow a device from a friend or hotel concierge to log into your bank's website, lock your cards, and change your primary passwords. You can also use services like "Find My Device" to remotely wipe your phone's data if you know it cannot be recovered.

Give your account history a quick post-trip sweep

After unpacking your suitcase, take five minutes to unpack your recent transaction history for your peace of mind.

Scroll through your credit card and bank statements once you get home. Look for double charges, unauthorized tips at restaurants, or small test purchases from unfamiliar merchants. Catching these strange charges fast means you can let your financial institution do the heavy lifting of disputing the fraud and recovering your money.

A few proactive steps can make all the difference in protecting your finances while traveling. By staying alert and using the right tools, you can focus on enjoying your trip, not worrying about your money.