Avoiding Phone Scams While on Vacation and Business
Few technological wonders have made life and communication easier than the cell phone. So long as one is within a good calling range, you can contact anybody, anytime, while traveling. goto, Travel Tips , Cheap Flights - The Cheap Ticket Wars Having a cell phone is especially handy in emergencies, should your car Try also, Traditional Ceremonies: A Zambian Safari! , Traditional Ceremonies: A Zambian Safari! break down or should you get lost in an unfamiliar place. Try also, Destination Wedding - Maui's Maluaka Beach Park , Visit Monterey California People without cell phones have the convenience of using pre-paid calling cards, so as not to worry about long distance phone bills. Just enter a passcode and talking to anybody you wish.
Due to their ease of use, such items have become the target of thieves.
Phone Card Fraud
While one might not think there is much benefit to stealing a simple phone card, people are finding a way to make money Try also, Rail Travel Tips , Hello from Ottawa - Confederation Park Celebrates Winterlude from stolen authorization codes. Whether you are using a card for which there is a monthly bill or a pre-paid card, once a thief has the pass code he can make calls or engage in illegal "call-sell" operations, selling long distance time to others and pocketing the profits.
How does a thief obtain an authorization code? Think about the last time you used a phone in a public place. See, Tips For the Right Rome Holiday Travel Package , Hotel Security for the Traveler You might have been at the airport, check out, Be Safe when Traveling , Marinas in Gloucester Virginia: Boating in Chesapeake Bay Country bus station, or your hotel. Try also, New Year's Eve 2005 in Montreal - VIP Special Tour Packages , Choosing the Right Cruise Maybe you used a pay phone or your cell, and maybe you didn't notice the possibility that you were being watched. Thieves are becoming craftier in their surveillance skills; if one doesn't linger around the pay phone, pretending to wait to use it, one just might be watching you with binoculars or a zoom lens, taking note of the numbers you punch into the phone. You probably wouldn't know until the end of the month, if you are using a billed card, and find a list of calls you didn't make.
Always be alert when making a phone call in public. goto, Holiday Travel in Chile & Argentina - Hiking and Walking , 10 Must-Dos When In Brussels Shield the phone's keypad from sight, and keep any calling cards close. Better yet, if you can memorize your authorization code, do so. If you have to speak your code into the phone, keep your voice low and out of others' earshot. If you have a cell phone, program any code numbers into your speed dialing system.
Phone Travel You may also consider, London Vacation: How to Act Like a Local When You're at the Pub , Trekking Through Amsterdam 1 Scams
It's early in the morning, and you're snoozing in your hotel also related, Traditional Ceremonies: A Zambian Safari! , Be Safe when Traveling bed when the phone rings. The clerk at the front desk claims there is an authorization problem with your credit cards, perhaps their number is wrong. Could you give him your credit card number for confirmation? Without thinking, you do and go back to sleep, annoyed by this inconvenience on the hotel's part.
What you might not realize is that you could be further inconvenienced by a whopping credit card bill.
We are hearing more and more about this particular scam targeted at travelers. Try also, Tips For the Right Rome Holiday Travel Package , How to Pick a Travel Agency A room is picked at random and the traveler You may also consider, 10 Tips for Hassle-Free Business Travel , Cinque Terre - the Unknown Italy tricked into surrendering valuable information, allowing the thief control of your identity. Assuming you spend minimal time dealing with hotel check out, American Cemetery in Florence - Paying a Homage while on Holiday , Tips for Saving Money on Food At Walt Disney World-Orlando staff, you aren't going to know the voice of the day clerk, so you don't think much of it. It's an easy trap, but it can be avoided. Never volunteer any personal information over the phone while away - no name, credit card numbers, anything. If you feel the call is suspicious, hang up immediately and go down to the front desk to confirm if any calls were made by them to your room. Always best to be safe.
Cell Phone Safety
As cell phones get smaller and smaller with the new technology, it's a wonder we don't lose them more often! Yet, it still happens, and it is important to immediately report a lost or stolen phone to your service carrier as soon as possible to avoid incurring fraudulant charges. With travelers, check out, Stockholm - The Most Beautiful Capital In The World? , Mini-Guide to St. Louis, Missouri too, came the problem of cell phone "cloning" fraud - this occurs when a thief gets a hold of a specific cell phone's signal and duplicates it into another phone. The thief's phone is then recognized as your phone, allowing the thief to make illegals calls on your bill. As the major wireless companies are taking counteractive measures against this type of theft, cloning fraud should not be the problem it used to be; nonetheless, it is always suggested to consult with your wireless company about fraud.
Vigilance and proper use of your phone and phone cards can prevent theft while away from home. Always remember to be safe and give Park check out, Tips for Saving Money on Food At Walt Disney World-Orlando , New Year's Eve 2005 in Montreal - VIP Special Tour Packages Atlanta (http://www.parkatlanta.com) a call the next time you are traveling See, London Vacation: How to Act Like a Local When You're at the Pub , Exotic Islands Of Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands? and need a place Try also, Cheap Flights - The Cheap Ticket Wars , The East Coast's #1 Family Resort to park You may also consider, Tips for Saving Money on Food At Walt Disney World-Orlando , Exotic Islands Of Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands? your car. also related, Rail Travel Tips , How to Pick a Travel Agency
Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer who writes travel check out, A history of the Marais, Paris, France. , Hello from Toronto (3) - Exploring Niagara Wine Country articles for various websites, including Park You may also consider, Two Things To Do In Spring Valley, Nevada , A history of the Marais, Paris, France. Atlanta (http://www.parkatlanta.com), affordable long term parking in Atlanta with service to Hartsfield Airport. check out, A history of the Marais, Paris, France. , Relaxing on a Texas Dude Ranch Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Lively |
<< Previous Avoiding Crime When Parking | Back to Travel Information | Next >> Avoiding the Most Expensive Car Rental Cities
