Going on vacation can be a lot of fun, but can also require a lot of preparation. As you pack your bags, ensuring that you have everything that you, your spouse, and your kids need, you should also be thinking about how best to monitor credit during vacation. Why should you consider your credit when you are away having fun? Because when you are away is when thieves can take advantage of you, if you do not properly prepare at home as well as while you are away on vacation. One of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to understand the benefits of credit monitoring, especially the ability to be alerted instantly about any activity that occurs under your social security number on your credit report. Before you leave for vacation, it is vital that you understand how you need to prepare.

Preparing your Home

You likely have someone watching over your home and your pets while you are away. Something you might not consider is the fact that your mail needs to be watched over. Your mail can contain very private and sensitive information which could give identity thieves everything they need to steal your identity. Just one piece of mail that contains your name, social security number, bank account information, or credit card number might give a criminal all he needs to present himself as you. Before you leave, it is best to put a hold on your mail and pick it up at the post office when you return.

In addition to putting a hold on your mail is the need to put away everything in your home that contains any type of private information. This is especially important if you will have people coming in and out to water your plants and take care of your pets. If you leave your credit card statement out in the open, someone might steal the information. They may then either use it to make purchases for themselves, or they might even be able to open up other lines of credit in your name, which you might not find out until you perform a credit score check. By this time the damage may already be done. However, credit monitoring services are set up to notify you--even while you are on vacation--if something has occurred on your credit report.

Staying Safe on Vacation

Your identity can also be stolen while you are on vacation. One of the benefits of credit monitoring is the ability to be alerted right away if something occurs in your name. In general, you should always alert your credit card company that you will be traveling, especially if you will be going out of the country. They can note your account and watch for suspicious activity. While there is no guarantee that you will be alerted, your account will be noted of your travels. When you return, it is a good idea to check your credit report to ensure that no unauthorized activity has occurred.

When you go on vacation, you should also make sure that you are prepared with all of the information on your credit cards. Keep this information separate from your credit cards to ensure that you always have the information, even if your cards were to be stolen. It is also a good idea to set each card up with online access. This enables you to monitor your credit cards while you are away, as most cards update transactions instantly.

When you Return

When you return from your vacation, it is a good idea to do a credit check. This step should be done a few weeks to a month after you return. Checking your credit will enable you to spot any unauthorized activity on your credit report and allows you to take care of any fraudulent activity right away.

Taking the time to monitor your credit after vacation is essential to the safety of your identity as well as your financial future. Credit monitoring can help you know right away when something has gone awry with your credit and identity. If you travel, even periodically, it is essential to have a method to monitor your credit, whether you do it on your own or sign up with a credit monitoring service. Preparing your home before you leave as well as preparing yourself and being alert while on vacation can help to minimize the risk of identity theft and the chance of becoming a victim of financial fraud.