Whatever travellers are looking for from their vacation this holiday season, whether it’s sunshine, relaxation, adventure or exploration, having an experience that is hassle free, secure and enjoyable will be high on anyone’s priority list.

Leading financial services corporation Mastercard has listed out a few simple safe spending tips to follow so holidaymakers can protect themselves against fraud and theft while traveling locally and abroad.

Prior to travel
• Make a record of your passport and credit card information, including the contact number to reach your credit card issuing bank in case of emergency. Keep this record in a safe and secure place away from your passport and credit cards (i.e., not in your wallet or purse). Also, leave a copy of this information and your itinerary at home with a family member or close friend;
• Staying In Control. A big benefit for travelers is Mastercard’s In Control platform, the perfect planning tool for travel spend. Providing real-time alerts via SMS or e-mail, In Control helps you set spending limits and “turn on” or “turn off” your credit, debit and small business cards at individual retailers or in specific countries. Once set-up, you can then access In Control either through your bank’s mobile app and website or at a standalone site or app;
• There’s nothing fun about lost luggage or missed flights, and nothing beats fast and generous compensation to help you through a tight spot;
• Clean out your wallet by taking out everything but the essentials. The more items and pieces of information a thief gets, the more damage they can do;
• Mastercard has introduced Cash Passport, a prepaid foreign currency that allows you to pre-purchase travel money ahead of your trip, so that you have access to local currency from ATMs and retail stores anywhere that Mastercard is accepted;

While at the destination
• Make sure to use an EMV-enabled card with embedded computer chip in it when you travel. The cards are widely used across the world. Given their enhanced technology, chip cards protect your account information from fraud and are more secure than cash or a regular card. Tip: make sure you set up a PIN before traveling as many retailers require a PIN;
• Use a credit card for purchases because it’s the safest and most reliable way to spend while you travel. Mastercard is accepted around the world and you’re protected by Mastercard Zero Liability from unauthorized transactions in case of a lost or stolen card. Keep your card with you at all times and never leave it in your hotel room.

Upon return…
• Keep receipts for your credit card purchases in a safe place, throughout your travels. When you get home cross-check your saved receipts against your e-statement. Notify your card issuer immediately if you see any unusual or unexpected items.

So what’s ahead?

For those who have experienced their card being declined on vacation, Mastercard has introduced a service -Holiday Hassle Free: Mobile Location Alerts - which allows for worry-free purchasing away from home.

By simply turning on the mobile device while traveling, the user's bank will be able to verify it’s really them making a purchase.  The location of their mobile device will alert their bank to expect transactions from their travel location so they can relax and no longer worry about their card being declined on vacation

The service is now available in the UAE and will soon be launched across the Middle East and Africa region. - TradeArabia News Service