Graduation season and summer travel tend to show up at the same time, and both come with a lot of excitement and a lot of distractions. That’s exactly when people can slip up with their personal information without realizing it. A few simple habits can make a big difference in keeping your identity safe while you’re celebrating or heading out on the road.
Identity protection doesn't stop after graduation or vacation. Explore our Fraud Prevention Resource Library for additional tips on protecting your accounts, personal information and financial well-being.
Don’t let identity thieves ruin your summer plans. Before you pack, post or travel, review these guidelines to help protect your identity against scammers and identity thieves.
Be Careful What You Share Online
It’s easy to overshare without meaning to. Posting your graduation date, your new school or employer, or your travel plans gives scammers more information than you think. Be mindful of what you share on social media. Sharing details like birthdays, travel plans or even pet names can give scammers the clues they need to guess passwords or impersonate you.
A few extra seconds of caution can help protect your accounts and your identity. Even a photo of a boarding pass can expose details someone can use to get into your accounts. Share the moment, not the specifics.
Avoid Logging Into Sensitive Accounts on Public Wi-Fi
Airports, hotels and coffee shops are convenient, but the Wi-Fi is often wide open. Open networks are convenient, but they’re also easier for criminals to intercept. Anyone on the same network can try to snoop. If you need to check something important, such as banking, email or anything with personal information, use your phone’s hotspot or wait until you’re on a secure connection.
Keep Your Devices Locked Down
Travel days can be chaotic. Phones get left on seats, laptops get forgotten at security and backpacks get unzipped without anyone noticing. A strong passcode, a biometric lock such as face or fingerprint recognition, and “Find My Device” turned on can save you a lot of stress if something goes missing.
Watch Out for "Urgent" Messages
Graduates may receive fake job offers, scholarship scams and "you’ve won a prize" emails. Travelers may receive fake airline alerts, fake hotel confirmations and fake texts about suspicious activity. If a message pressures you to act now, click immediately, or threatens that your account will be closed or your reservation canceled, pause before taking action.
Go directly to the official website or app instead of engaging with these urgent messages. And remember, Bank of Utah will never pressure you with messages demanding immediate action regarding your account.
Don’t Carry Every Document With You
When you’re traveling or moving around for graduation events, leave items such as your Social Security card, birth certificate and passport (unless needed for travel) at home. The fewer sensitive documents you carry, the less risk you face if something is lost or stolen.
Shred Anything With Personal Details
Graduation season often brings a pile of mail filled with offers, forms, statements and welcome packets. Before tossing anything with your name, address, school information or financial details into the trash or recycling bin, shred it first. Dumpster diving for personal information is still a common tactic used by criminals.
Use Strong, Unique Passwords
If you’re heading off to college, starting a new job or traveling, you’re probably creating new accounts. Use passwords that are long, unique and difficult to guess. A combination of letters, numbers and symbols is generally stronger than personal details like birthdays or names.
Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts. Taking a few minutes to strengthen your passwords today can help protect your accounts from fraud tomorrow.
Check Your Accounts Regularly
A quick weekly review of your bank accounts, credit card activity and email security settings can help you catch problems early. Identity theft often begins with small, easy-to-miss transactions. Spotting unfamiliar charges or account changes quickly can help limit potential damage.
Be Mindful With Travel Documents
Don’t leave boarding passes, hotel key sleeves or rental car paperwork lying around. They often contain barcodes, reservation numbers or other information that can be used by fraudsters. A little extra care with travel documents can go a long way toward protecting your identity.
Enjoy the Moment, Protect Your Identity
Celebrations and travel should feel fun, not stressful. A few small habits can help protect your identity while you enjoy the moment. Even when you do everything right, identity theft can still happen. If you suspect fraud or identity theft, contact Bank of Utah right away. Our team can help you secure your accounts, answer questions and connect you with available resources.
Security education provided in partnership with NXG Strategies.
