Mystufflostandfound.com Releases New Guide “Essential Tips for Protecting a Passport While Traveling”
Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) September 10, 2013 -- A lost passport or other essential travel document can be a disaster for any vacation or business trip. It is impossible to guarantee that a passport will never go missing but the following guidelines can greatly reduce the likelihood of the unthinkable happening.
Protecting a Passport While Carrying It
In general, the safest place for a passport is in a traveler's possession, especially when precautions are taken.
1. Avoid being a target for thieves and avoid wearing flashy clothing or expensive jewelry that may attract attention. Travel light and be aware of the surroundings.
2. Use a traveler's case, wallet, money-belt or pouch on a slash-proof wire neck strap. Carrying valuables under clothing is safer than in outside pockets or pouches where pickpockets and slash-and-grabbers can see and get their hands on them.
3. Keeping a passport in a sealed plastic bag protects it from inclement weather, spilled drinks, food, leaky pens and other unexpected mishaps.
Protecting a Stored Passport
There are times when traveling when documents need to be left behind in a safe spot.
1. Passports should only be left in a room or cabin with a lockable safe. If a room safe is not available, contact management and lock it in the hotel or ship’s safe.
2. If a lockable safe is not available, store in a suitcase that can be locked securely. The TSA approved Travel Sentry locks do double duty by providing protection but allowing airport security access without damaging the bag. Hard sided zipperless bags with built-in locks are the most secure style.
3. Remember that luggage does not need to look impossible to get into; it just needs to look more difficult to get into than the bag next to it. Having something as simple as a lockable travel cable can convince thieves to move on to another bag.
Have a Backup Copy
Nobody can guarantee that a passport will never be lost or stolen so there should always be a “Plan B.” The same logic applies to other important documentation like reservations, tickets, credit cards, health information, driver's license and insurance information.
1. Make photo copies of the key pages of a passport and keep them in a different location from the original.
2. Scan the key pages and store them on another accessible online storage system.
3. Leave a copy with a travel partner or a non-traveling relative.
4. Store a copy on a flash drive.
The Best Way to Get a Lost Passport Returned
“Lost” passports do not actually vanish; they are nearly always found by someone. The problem occurs when the finder, including airlines personnel, have no easy way to contact the owner while they are traveling. Okoban® tracker tags from http://www.mystufflostandfound.com can solve the problem by immediately connecting finders with owners quickly, securely and privately, anywhere in the world. Recovering a lost passport quickly while still "in country" can save the trip. The lost and found service is complimentary for life. There are no annual fees.
1. Always protect passports, laptops, phones, keys, cameras, credit cards, luggage and other valuables with Okoban tracker tags and luggage tags from mystufflostandfound.com.
2. Key passport pages may be scanned and uploaded to the Okoban tracker tag registration.
Helpful General Tips
1. Use a driver's license instead of a passport as a deposit at a hotel, vehicle rental, or other tourist site.
2. If carrying valuables in a shoulder pack or under clothing, carry them in front instead of in the back and keep them locked or secured.
3. Keep important documents in different places so that not everything can be lost at one time.
4. Have a decoy wallet with only copies of documentation and a small amount of cash for small daily purchases, like drinks and souvenirs. It's far less a problem if the decoy is stolen.
Okoban tracker tags and luggage tags from mystufflostandfound.com connect finders with owners quickly, securely and privately, anywhere in the world. Okoban’s global lost and found service adds protection and security for valuables and gives the finder a safe, private and secure way to return a found item quickly and at no cost.
"Now, with Okoban and mystufflostandfound.com, lost passports and other valuables can find their owner," says Gordon Burns, CEO of My Stuff Lost and Found. "Often, the lost valuable finds the owner before the owner realizes the item is lost."
My Stuff Lost and Found provides convenient worldwide online sales and service of Okoban’s sturdy tracker tags. Mystufflostandfound.com is the online gateway to Okoban's tracking service for valuables and free global lost and found service for life. Purchase Okoban online at http://www.mystufflostandfound.com.
Gordon Burns, My Stuff Lost & Found, http://www.mystufflostandfound.com, (678) 428-8647, [email protected]
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