It’s easy to forget about safety when you’re away from home,tied up with client meetings and power dinners. Unsuspectingtravelers – especially those who are out of town on business –make easy prey for criminals. With these simple business travelsafety tips, you won’t have to worry about leaving your homebehind, or whether or not you’ll be safe when you reach yourdestination.

Secure your home: Make sure your home is locked up tight beforeyou leave the driveway. Give the illusion that you’re home bysetting lights to turn on and off with timers, arrange for someoneto pick up your mail daily or have the post office hold it untilyou return. Also remember to alert your neighbors of your upcomingabsence and anyone who may visit your home like landscapers andfriends feeding pets. Activate your home alarm system when youleave as well. Prominently display any homesecurity system signs in your yard and on windows to help scareaway potential intruders.

Carry essentials on you: Never check any of your importantpapers or your passport. Checked luggage is always more easily lostor stolen than carry-ons. Don’t flash your passport or any otherimportant items in public as this can signal that you’re unfamiliarwith your surroundings. Never leave any valuable belongingsunattended, like laptops or phones. Also, give the illusion thatsuch items are difficult to access by placing a lock or some otherkind of security device on it.

Use only secure wireless connections: It’s tempting to use anyavailable wireless connection while travelling. Hackers set upofficial-looking wireless networks at airports to get personalinformation from people’s computers who log onto them. Look forsigns in public places that have the name and keys to officialwireless networks. It’s worth your security to postpone checkingyour inbox or doing online banking until you find a securenetwork.

Don’t chat on the phone in public: Most participants in aNational Crime Prevention Council study reported that they feel safe in certain areas whilecarrying a cell phone. This may be a false sense of security,however, as talking on the phone in an unfamiliar place and beingoblivious to your surroundings makes you a ripe target forcriminals. People can also eavesdrop and hear about your plans suchas your hotel and with whom you are traveling – details that makeit easier to take advantage of your situation.

Pretend you’re in the hotel room: Chances are you’ll be inbusiness meetings and meals during most of your trip, so mimicsigns that you’re in your room. Leave on a light and draw thecurtains closed so that just a sliver of light is visible from theoutside, instead of a dark empty room. Turn on the TV or radio at avolume where it can be heard in the hall so it sounds like a personis in the room. Hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door tomaintain the illusion that you’re there and people will be lesslikely to tamper with your belongings.

Courtesy of ARAcontent