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Jun 11, 2008 9:26 am US/Eastern
Warning: ID Thieves Will Strike While You Travel
Those Who Aren't Paying Attention Inside Airports, Train Stations & Near ATMs Stand To Lose Everything
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Identity theft is not just a computer crime. In nearly 70 percent of the cases, thieves obtain personal information just by stealing it right out from under your nose.
And as CBS 2 HD found out travelers may be a big target.
Take a stroll through any train station or airport and it's easy to spot distracted travelers. Watch as they turn their backs on their bags to sleep, talk on the phone and look after the kids. But who's looking over their shoulder?
"Very sophisticated people and they wait for moments of vulnerability," said Adam Levin of Identity Theft 911.
Whether on the go for business or pleasure experts warn don't be a target for ID theft.
"The critical word when you travel is awareness," Levin said. "Aware of what you carry on your person, aware of the information you give to people, aware of what's going on around you."
Which is not always easy when you're lost or in a hurry.
"I keep my entire world in my purse and if someone got a hold of that they'd have keys to my house and know where I live," traveler Tamra Ahrens said.
But while you're stealing time to relax this summer, Levin says you can take steps to protect yourself from someone trying to steal your identity. First, notify your credit card company you are traveling.
"They keep a close eye on transactions that may be occurring in places other than where you are traveling," Levin said.
Levin also recommends traveling with only one credit card, avoid using a debit card and be careful using ATMs.
"There's not somebody that has a cell phone that's right behind you taking a picture," Levin said.
There's another way to protect yourself. Some boarding passes may have your frequent flyer number on it, which can then be used by an identity thief to obtain your personal information, so be careful not to leave those on the plane or in a hotel room.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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