1. Plan Your Trip Carefully

When you are out and about on vacation, carefully plan where you’ll go and the sights you’ll see. Investigate the companies you’ll be traveling with and learn the names of reputable taxi companies and transportation providers at your destination.

2. Back Up Important Documents

Before you leave home, make copies of your driver’s license, passport, credit cards, and any other vital documents, and carry them with you. When you leave your hotel room, lock the copies in the hotel safe. If your wallet or purse gets lost or stolen while you’re out sightseeing, you’ll have the backups safely stored at the hotel.

3. Travel Light

The more you take with you, the more you have to lose. Carry only the essentials, such as your driver’s license, passport, credit card, and health insurance card. Leave everything else securely stored at home, including your Social Security card, extra credit cards, and other forms of identification.

4. Prep Your Home

Criminals who break into your home now can do worse than simply take your belongings. They also can steal your identity if they find documents or electronic items that contain sensitive information. Take steps to ensure it looks like you’re still at home. Put lights on a timer so they switch on automatically when it gets dark. Put a hold on all mail and newspaper delivery. Ask a trusted friend to water outside plants or bring trash cans off the street so your home looks lived in. Secure important documents in a lockbox inside the house. Finally, turn off your home Wi-Fi network so no one can access your home systems while you’re away.

5. Stay Alert for Identity Theft Situations

Of course you want to have fun and relax while RVing, but always be aware of your surroundings as you sightsee or pass through busy areas; thieves can pick your pocket and then use the information they find to commit identity theft. Also, stay alert to scams — the “taxi” driver in an unmarked car who promises entry to a popular attraction at half the price or without a wait, or a RV Park Host who wants to keep your credit card for the duration of your stay.

If you suspect your identity may have been compromised while traveling, check your credit report for signs, such as new credit accounts you didn’t open. When you return home, you also should review all your credit card and financial accounts to determine if there are any unauthorized transactions. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately if you see any activity you don’t recognize.

With a few simple steps, you’ll have peace of mind during your next RV vacation.