Double trouble for travelers: baggage thieves and cellphone crooks
It's a good thing travel is so enjoyable because, frankly, there are things to worry about when you take a trip. Things such as whether your baggage will be waiting for you at the end of a flight and whether someone might be tapping into your cellphone.Let's talk about luggage first. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, mishandled baggage complaints, including theft, rank second only to flight problems as the most common consumer complaint. Although actual baggage theft from luggage carousels and other pilferage may account for a small percent of mishandled bags in the U.S., it is still prevalent in some parts of the world. In fact, the U.S. State Department, in its Country Specific pages, provides destination information on international airports where pilferage may be a problem.
The US Travel Insurance Association, through its TRIP web site, offers the following tips to lessen the chance that your bags will vanish:
* Use hard-sided luggage.
* Pack valuables in your carry-on
*Avoid luggage that looks expensive.
* Pack only items that are easily replaced or those you can live without.
* Use a TSA-approved lock or plastic cable ties to secure your bags.
* Make your bags conspicuous by choosing eye-catching colors or distinctively colored straps.
For more details and additional tips, visit www.trip.ustia.org.
Now about those cellphones. AVG Technologies, an online security specialist, warns that cyber crooks are increasingly targeting mobile users with fake apps that steal data or trick users into accepting fraudulent charges. Here's how travelers can help protect themselves:
*Any mobile device should be equipped with security software. Not surprisingly, AVG Technologies recommends AVG Mobilation.
* Be careful when downloading apps for your phone. Pay special attention to their names. If you want Free Wi-Fi Finder, then make sure it's Free Wi-Fi Finder and not Free Wi-Fi Finding.
* Do not "jailbreak" your device to get around limitations set by your carrier or manufacturer. Doing so will remove protections built into the device.
* Check your phone bills. Many carriers now allow you to check your usage and charges online. Report any suspicious activity quickly.
* Exercise the same caution as you would on your computer. Most people have no idea their cellphones can be attacked. And that is one reason why cyber crooks are going after them.
Trivial question
What is the highest mountain in Canada? (Answer somewhere below.)
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Worth quoting
"To put it rather bluntly, I am not the type who wants to go back to the land; I am the type who wants to go back to the hotel." -- Fran Lebowitz Trivial answer
Canada's highest mountain is mount Logan in the Yukon. At 19,551 feet, Logan is the second-highest mountain in North America, after Mount McKinley, which is 20,320 feet.
