| It is no secret that identity theft is on the rise. Walk into | | | | First of all always ensure that after transactions that |
| any big box office supply store and you will mounds | | | | you have received the correct credit card in return by |
| and mounds of paper shredders meant to shred your | | | | serving staff personnel and that you have not |
| personal documents and letters making it harder for an | | | | received other persons by mistake or on purpose. |
| identity thieve to obtain your vital personal information. | | | | Next ensure that you do not leave personal |
| Sure you are safe at home and at the office but what | | | | documents or information just "lying "around your hotel |
| about on the road, on your vacation, travel for work | | | | or hotel meeting rooms. Its not a question of hotel staff |
| and conventions, and in hotels, bars and restaurants? | | | | - who may well be carefully screened and hired for |
| To begin with what is "identify theft"? Identity theft is | | | | personal honesty and integrity - but rather just |
| where an "identity thief" commits fraud and indeed | | | | "anybody" or " anyone" who can just be strolling down |
| other crimes by assuming (or copying) your personal | | | | the hall or indeed be trolling or on the prowl. Similarly |
| identity. Such information as your name, birth date, | | | | computers left on and unprotected are targets as well. |
| address, and social insurance, charge cards, banking | | | | It's not the computer so much now, but rather the data |
| account numbers and other information and | | | | on it that is most valuable. On top of that if the |
| identification can later be used to impersonate you for | | | | computer is left behind and untouched, a sense of |
| the purposes of stealing or acquiring even more | | | | safety, honesty and data integrity is afforded to the |
| money through access to your accounts, opening up | | | | victim, who may not know that their vital data, |
| accounts in other forms and banking and credit | | | | documentation and financial records and passwords |
| institutions. Amazingly some identity thieves will even | | | | have, been sequestered. All it takes is a split second |
| seek "gainful" employment under your name and | | | | and a run of the mill USB flash memory drive and all |
| identity. At the end of the you guess who will be | | | | over. Shortly your credit card data, passwords or |
| asked to pay the income taxes on those earnings? | | | | worse may be sold to thieves and emailed anywhere |
| You of course. The amount of time that you will spend | | | | in the world. It's best to employ some type of |
| explaining yourself and your predicament to the I.R.S. | | | | password entry to your computers, cell phone and |
| among others will be more than substantial. Often as | | | | blackberries and as well not leave such information in |
| well many organizations will take an approach of pay | | | | clear view. |
| up now and "we will (of course) refund your money | | | | You may think that it should be the responsibility of the |
| after proper and full documentation is given". Lots of | | | | hotel and its staff to protect you in such matters. If |
| luck and lots of fun. The summary is that if you are a | | | | identity theft occurs to you in this manner you may |
| victim of identity theft, you could be left with bills, bad | | | | well think that you can sue the hotel and that the hotel |
| credit and the hassle of dealing with financial agencies | | | | should compensate you for you troubles and more. On |
| and police departments to clear your name. In addition | | | | top of everything else you may demand an all |
| dealing with the IRS can come into the picture as well. | | | | expense paid trip to Hawaii in the hotel chains 4 star |
| What can you do to protect yourself against identity | | | | resort. Lots of luck. While it may be true that hotels |
| theft when traveling on the road and in distant hotels, | | | | and the service industry are most concerned about |
| bars and restaurants? First of all when you return | | | | their reputation and maintaining high service levels in |
| from your trip always verify charges and bills. Keep | | | | their hotels and establishments they can only do so |
| receipts for cross referencing. You may want to | | | | much , and provide a certain level of safety and |
| check your credit statement and charges online ahead | | | | security. It's up to you to protect yourself. Imagine the |
| of time, rather than waiting for your hard copy bill to | | | | wasted time, energy and cost you can save yourself |
| arrive by snail mail or email. This way you may catch | | | | by being vigilant and proactive when it comes to your |
| mistakes ahead of time and nip problems in the "bud". | | | | own security and protecting yourself from identity theft |
| Add in the logistics of distance factors, time changes, | | | | while traveling on the road - whether it be in hotels and |
| staffing and phone bills and it becomes almost a | | | | restaurants - either for business travel or for your |
| nightmare. Indeed for some charges you may feel that | | | | personal vacations. |
| it is not worth the time effort and costs. | | | | |