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Credit cards are the safest and most convenient way to pay for expenses while on vacation, but they can and do get stolen, and thieves often pick heavily populated vacation spots to grab their opportunities. Protect yourself this vacation season by taking some smart precautions before you leave home. First, pare down your wallet - if you usually carry a whole fist full of credit cards, change your habit. After checking each card so you know which has the largest credit line, the most credit available, and the lowest interest rate on purchases, pare down to only 2 cards. If one is lost, you'll have a back-up. Once at your destination, put your back up card in the hotel safe or the in-room safe. If you have a home safe, put the others in the safe while you're away. If not, consider storing them in your safe deposit box at the bank. Unoccupied homes sometimes attract burglars, so don't leave them in your desk drawer or stuck in a kitchen cabinet, in plain sight! Now, write down the contact information for your credit card issuers and put it in a safe place in your luggage. Suitcases, purses, and wallets can also become misplaced on vacation, so why not make a couple of copies and carry them in different places? Under the terms of the Fair Credit Billing Act, your maximum liability for charges on a lost or stolen card is $50 - and some card issuers have zero-liability policies. But unless you report the card missing right away, you might have to show proof that you didn't enjoy that meal at a 4-Star Restaurant or purchase that $1,000 necklace. Some credit card issuers send up red flags when they see unusual activity. Thus it is wise to let your card issuer know that you will be on vacation, where you will be, and how long you'll be gone. Otherwise, they could put a freeze on charges if they can't reach anyone at your home to verify that the charges are legitimate. Using your credit card for vacation purchases can carry a second benefit. Many card issuers offer loss and theft protection - so if you buy something on vacation and that something is stolen, you can notify your card issuer and get a credit to your account. And of course, complaints about merchandise ordered that never arrived are most easily handled if the purchase was made with a card.
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