Safety, Security Tips for When You're on Vacation Safety
3 Tips for a Safer Vacation
Getty Images Protect yourself and your Wi-Fi when you go on vacation. While vacations are fun and relaxing, you can’t fully let your guard down because hackers go on vacation, too. There are also other safety risks you need to be aware of as you travel. Recently, the Today show’s Jeff Rossen offered some not-so-obvious precautions you can take. Here are three tips to use when you leave town. Wi-Fi
We’re more connected than ever before, with our cellphones, tablets and e-readers — and a growing number of hotels offer free Wi-Fi. Most of the time they give you a log-in, such as your last name and room number, but be sure to ask the name of the trusted network. As Today reported, a new scheme from hackers is to create a fake network that looks very similar to the hotel log-in. For example, the trusted Wi-Fi network may be the hotel’s name, but hackers may establish one very similar, like “Hotel Name-Pool.” Their hope is that as you’re using your phone poolside, you might get a pop-up to join or see that the fake network connection is stronger, and then click to join. But beware: It could be a trap. Hotel
We’ve all been there. You check into a hotel room and something isn’t right. Maybe the TV is broken or there aren’t enough towels, so you call the front desk and a worker comes up. To be safe, Rossen recommends, when you let the employee into your room, prop the door open or slide the dead bolt so the door doesn’t shut all the way. This may thwart or discourage any worker with bad intentions. If you need to scream for help, it’s a lot easier for someone to hear you if the door is cracked open. Children
Vacationing with children, including grandkids, can be enjoyable but nerve-racking. No one wants to be the person who was watching a kid when he wandered off and got lost. Thanks to new technology, though, it's easier to keep the little ones safer. Consider buying a GPS tracker, which now comes in many styles, making it likely that your kid will want to wear one. While some trackers will help you find a child if she gets lost, others sync to your phone and send you an alert if the happy wanderer strays too far from you — preventing a panic situation before it happens. Today offered some that you may find useful. Also of Interest
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