It has been 20 years since I graduated high school and since then, I have been fortunate enough to travel to over 50 countries, for both work and pleasure. Currently, I am living abroad with my family in Kenya, where I run a security company dedicated to building the capacity of female security professionals. While living and working overseas, I have learned a lot about security challenges you can face while traveling. I have learned that bad things can happen to anyone at any time and you need to be prepared. In Ethiopia several years back, my wife and I were walking in Addis when a group of teenage boys approached us pretending to offer something to sell us because we had done our research, we knew that pickpocketing was a big problem in the tourist areas and to watch out for the street boys. I was alert and I immediately noticed as one of the boys tried to reach into my pocket as the others were attempting to distract me. Had I not done my research and known about that common scam, I probably would have fallen victim and lost my wallet or even worse, my passport.
This is the first of a four-part series on personal and digital security, dedicated to your travels for the year 2020. Over the four articles, I will share with you 20 personal security tips and 20 digital security tips I have used during my travels, to help keep you secure during your travels. Some of these tips might seem like common sense, but is common sense really common? I urge you to put these into practice where they fit with your lifestyle and needs. Hit me up with your Travel Security Tips so I can add them to the follow-up articles.
So let’s get to it! Here are 10 tips on what to focus on before you travel, to reduce the chances of putting yourself in a vulnerable situation.
Personal Security Tips
1. Do your Research, Create a Plan, Tell a Friend.
Traveling can be an enjoyable experience, but something as simple as a pickpocketer could ruin your whole trip if something of value, like your passport, is stolen. You should take a few hours doing research prior to your trip and find out the local security situation, emergency services numbers, nearest hospitals (Do they take your insurance? Do you have an international travel insurance plan? Or will you have to pay cash?), and the location and contact of the nearest Embassy from your home country when traveling internationally. Put all of this information together and save it in the cloud, email it to yourself, and share it with a friend or family member along with all of your other travel details such as flight details, hotels, and copies of your passport and visas. Getting a visa on arrival? Then snap a photo of the visa once you get it and email it along with a short check-in message to let people know you have arrived safely. For U.S. citizens traveling internationally, a great tool for research is the State Department’s website where you can find Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings. You should also enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), so you can get local travel advisories and ensure the nearest U.S. Embassy is aware you are in the country in the event of a major crisis.
2. Pre-Travel Medical Check.
Let’s face it traveling can be stressful and puts a strain on your body so you are more susceptible to illness. Traveling to foreign countries also introduces your body to new types of illnesses and diseases that your body is not used to. By getting a pre-travel medical checkup, the doctor will not only ensure you are healthy enough to travel but also advise you on the necessary vaccinations you will require before traveling. If in doubt, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for up-to-date information on current health issues in the country or countries you are planning to visit. Some countries, including Kenya, require certain vaccinations, such as yellow fever, before being allowed to enter. Be sure to check vaccination requirements early, as some vaccinations you will need to get several weeks prior to travel to be effective. The CDC recommends seeing your healthcare provider 4-6 weeks prior to your trip. If you regularly take medication, it is always best to bring it with you when traveling. Your doctor should also issue you a prescription for any medications that you require in case something happens to the medication you travel with. Be sure to check the local laws in the country you are visiting, including any country you are transiting through, as each country has its own guidelines about which medicines are legal.
3. Know the local security issues and protect yourself.
When I think of knowing the local situation, it makes me think of a slogan from my favorite cartoon growing up, G.I. Joe. At the end of each episode, he says “And knowing is half the battle!”. If you don’t know the treats, how can you protect yourself? Being naive does not prevent you from getting robbed, or worse. A good place to start your research into the local areas is the U.S. State Department’s website. Additionally, you should look for more localized information by looking up some travel blogs for that area where previous travelers talk about their experiences.
The information you learn should be a driving influence into your travel decision, from where you stay and eat to what you pack. You can also learn about what to do while you are there!
4. Pick the ‘Right’ hotel.
Selecting the ‘right’ accommodation is difficult for most travelers. It’s often a delicate balance between price and convenience. Security is often an afterthought or not a thought at all. Staying at a secure hotel is not enough these days unless it is an all-inclusive resort and you are not planning on leaving the premises. You also need to make sure that the accommodation you select is right for your travel requirements. Is the accommodation in a good location for transportation? Is it near to where you are visiting? Will you stand out by staying there? The use of Airbnb is gaining popularity across the globe and it is often a cheaper option than staying at hotels, but is it more secure? You have to look at the location in reference to what activities you have planned; can you easily get transportation from that location? You need an understanding of whether staying there will make you stand-out, and the crime in the area. Whether a hotel, Airbnb, or local guest house, make sure to include the security of the hotel and surrounding areas as part of your selection criteria.
5. Transfer the Risk to Travel Insurance.
Shit happens and the best-laid plans get messed up so transfer the risk to travel insurance. Travel insurance is not only for medical purposes, but can also cover the loss or damage of your valuables. There are a lot of travel insurance companies out there, so look for one that will cover both medical and your valuables to save money. Also, be sure to check and see if your credit card offers travel insurance. It may be a benefit you don’t even know you have! You may think that travel insurance is not worth the fee I can tell you
Digital Security Tips
1. Update your Devices.
Yes, it is sometimes annoying to update your computer because it takes time and sometimes your third-party applications won’t function the same, but you should install the most current updates and patches for your devices, especially before traveling. By not installing the most current updates, it could keep the door open for hackers to access your private information, putting you at risk for identity theft, loss of money, credit, and more. These updates contain important updates that improve not only the performance and stability of your devices but also the security of the applications you run. By installing them you help to ensure that your devices run safely and efficiently.
2. Backup your devices and remove unnecessary files.
If you are like me, you probably have limited space on your phone because you have too many photos and videos saved. Take the time to backup up your device and delete what you don’t need before the trip. Since most of us use our phones as our primary camera, you will need this extra space to take the photos during your travels. By deleting the unnecessary apps and files, if your device is stolen there will be less of your personal data lost. Though time-consuming, you should also do this with your computer.
3. Use Find my…
Most devices, including computers, are capable of tracking and remote disabling. Though these do require a data connection to work, these apps should be activated before you travel. If the device connects to Wi-Fi, it will update its location and if you previously activated the secure device feature, you can lock and/or remotely wipe the device once a connection is established. For Apple users the ‘Find my iPhone’ works on all Apple devices, including Macbooks. For Android users, check out the Google ‘Find my Device’ app on the Google Play store. Both of these are free to use and work relatively well.
If your device is stolen, I do not recommend using these features to track down the thief. You could put yourself into more danger. Your life is worth more than your device. I recommend turning the information over to the police when you file the report and let them follow up with the case.
4. Logout from all locations and change your passwords.
We are creatures of comfort, so many of us have our devices set to auto-login for our most used sites and email. Before you travel, you should log out of all of your applications, websites, and email accounts. You can set a temporary password to use for the trip, or change the password for this trip. Remember to use a strong password that is not easy to hack. A strong password should be at least six characters long consisting of letters (remember letters are normally case sensitive, so having both uppercase and lowercase increases the strength), numbers, and symbols.
5. Turn off Geo-tagging on Social Media
There is nothing worse than getting off a 12-hour flight after a fabulous trip, only to find out that your house was burglarized while you were gone. If you are the social media type and like to post photos of your life, beware that criminals are now using social media to know when people are more likely to be away so they can break into your house while away. Geo-tagging will tell that criminal that you are away and that your house is empty. You should also avoid posting any other sensitive information such as your dates of travel in your posts. Check out one of my favorite Youtube stars, Jack Vale, he uses geotagged social media accounts to find people and prank them using the information found online!
As we round up for the week, I bet you thought I was going to provide a packing list of things to bring like [insert paid advertisement], but I don’t have any and I am doing this because I really do feel bad for those in-experienced travelers that keep getting their passports taken because they ‘didn’t know’, but now you do ‘and knowing is ½ the battle’ 😉 right?
As you prepare for your 2020 adventures, I hope these tips make sense to you and are relevant to your travel needs. I will post the next article on the 8th of January, but in the meantime, if you are planning a trip to East Africa give me a shout out for any local travel advice or further security needs you may have!
Until next week… Salamu.