Important Travel Advisory USA!

According to an April 2024 white paper from the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, 'FinCen' (See full article) there is a surge in counterfeit U.S. Passport Cards.

What is a passport card? In 2008 the U.S. Passport card was introduced as a more convenient and cost-effective alternative to the traditional passport book. These cards allow U.S. Citizens who travel by land and sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda fast entry. U.S. Passport cards are Not, valid for international travel by Air. See the U.S. Dept. of State (Get a Passport Card).

What you need to know to stay safe

Today fraudsters are attempting to produce counterfeit cards as a means to entering the U.S. and much worse! Criminals are inquiring about the victim's financial account details, requesting withdrawals of balances thru cashier's checks and even initiating wires. If you possess a Passport Card be sure to safeguard it at all times and follow these very simple tips!

Privacy is Key- Your passport, Drivers License and other documents contain Non-Public Information (NPI) about you. Fraudsters work hard to steal each piece until they have completed your entire financial picture and then they hi-jack it

Whenever presenting important documents in public, treat them just like your ATM pin, and keep them as private as practical, and never leave them unsecured

Change your Passwords- Today, everyone is overwhelmed with passwords, and we all know we should both change and use 'Strong Passwords' frequently. While it may be a headache, it is here to stay, and we should make a habit to change our online passwords upon returning from travel

I would also recommend using 2-step-verification, especially if you frequently access any kind of sensitive account in public spaces using portable devices. Changing our passwords when we return from holiday, not only creates good habits, it helps protect us from possible malicious activity when our online identity may have been at it's most vulnerable during busy travels!

Freeze your Credit- The three big credit reporting agencies of; TransUnion, Experian and Equifax make it easy and free to protect your credit from malicious fraudsters establishing new accounts in your name

Approximately 5 - 10mins of your time with each online site can protect you from financial devastation and potentially years of hard work to re-establish your financial affairs. Above I have already provided a hyperlink to each, and if you would like more information, please see (USA General Services Admin)

Use a Credit Card instead of your Debit Card- Most major credit card companies now offer full to major reimbursement of bonafide fraudulent transactions, while most banks and credit unions offer little to no protection of debit card losses

In addition, debit card usage generally requires frequent usage of your PIN, which further compromises your financial security. As an added precaution, use a dedicated Travel Credit Card for travel purposes only. One of the best rewards travel credit cards will help you monitor irregular activity, collect travel awards, and budget your travel expenditures more easily. What a gift !

My name is Adriana Da Silva, I am a Travel Advisor in Longwood, Florida. I write traveling tips to help my clients plan the best vacation getaways. I focus on Popular Resorts, Cruise Companies and Tropical Places that remain the top adult picks for the money. Do you know a busy person who needs a holiday? Will you be their hero and forward this post.

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