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Travel Tips

Top 5 Privacy Tips for Vacations
  1. Google Yourself-it still is a good idea to review what might be on the web. Go to the Google (or another search tool) and type your name in quotes. Try this with your nickname, your phones numbers, your home & email addresses, See what develops. If you turn up try contacting the Webmaster to remove your information or check the Privacy Policy from the page to see what your rights are. If information concerning your children is posted on-line and the children are under 13, you may have rights under COPPA (Children's On-line Privacy Protection Act). Failure to remove information concerning children under 13 is in violation of the act and a complaint may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission.
  2. Place Vacation Holds-place a hold on your mail and newspapers so you do not signal to would-be thieves that you're not at home. It is easy and you can go on-line to www.usps.com and sign-up for a hold (or forwarding) on your mail delivery.
  3. Mail It Yourself - Take your checks to the post office-it is easy for a would-be thief to grab something from your mailbox when the red flag is up or when the mail is sticking out of your house. Anytime you place a check or your credit card information in to the mail stream, you should drop it at the post office personally.
  4. Shred It--remember to shred all the junk mail with a cross-cut or diamond shredder, esp. if it is credit card offers. "Dumpster diving" is still the number risk to your identity. Shredders can make a great gift as well.
  5. Beware of Fraud - "shoulder surfing" by the person next to you, an extra swipe of your credit card magnetic strip("skimming"), or on-line fraud through phishing and other scams. A trusted branded store and a limit on your credit card can be protections for you, your identity and your bank account or credit card this on-line shopping season. A good resource for on-line shopping tips is the National Cyber Security Alliance. See 12 Tips to Protect Yourself from Cyber Grinches, Scams and Schemes.
Privacy Travel Tips for the KU Community
  • Protect Your Information. Use an operating system that can protect or encrypt your confidential or sensitive information.
  • Disguise Your Laptop. Don't make your laptop attractive or obvious by the bag you use. Consider an unusual or nondescript bag for transportation.
  • Be Vigilant. Don't forget to keep an eye on it when going through security checkpoints, changing locations, or stopping for a break.
  • Store It In View. The best place on a plane or other mass transit is under the seat in front of you. Out of sight is out of mind.
  • Be Aware of shoulder peepers. Lots of information can be compromised over the shoulder.
  • Strong Passwords Changed Often. For more on Strong Passwords see IT Security Office website.
  • Back it up! Ensure you have another copy in the event of loss or damage to the unit.
**Information from Microsoft, 7 Ways to Protect Your Laptop on the Road.