By John Gobbels, Chief Operating Officer, Medjet

 

As the summer season approaches, people are excited to travel. However, our most recent poll showed over 99% of people worried about security, the majority of whom are more worried now than they were last year. With elevated State Department Advisories due to elevated crime rates, riots breaking out in places like France, Germany and Ecuador, worries about expanding conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, and worries about elevating geopolitical tensions seemingly everywhere…it’s no wonder people are nervous.

While we encourage people to keep their trips, we do recommend doing extra research and taking extra precautions.

 

Here are a few important tips plus our Top 5 products to help you stay safer while traveling this summer.

THE SMART TRAVELER APP ~ From the US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

  • Features in-app enrollment in the STEP program
  • Research destinations for Travel Advisories. Be cautious or reconsider travel to any destinations that are marked as Level 3. DO NOT TRAVEL to Level 4 countries!
  • Locate local consulates in case of any kind of emergency
  • Set up real-time alerts for the destinations you’re traveling to. These can provide you with information on areas of violence, common scams, impending strikes, impending demonstrations that may block traffic or turn into riots, and more
  • It’s a great travel safety tool and is free in both App Stores.

 

USB or USB-C DATA BLOCKERS ~ “JUICE JACKING” PREVENTION DEVICES

  • Cybercrime is a serious problem and is rampant in heavy tourist areas.
  • NEVER plug your phone into a USB charging port (rental car, airport, hotel, etc.) without one of these data blockers. They disable the data transfer prongs, so no information can be extracted from your phone, but leave the electrical transfer prongs active so you can charge.
  • Additionally, NEVER connect to an unfamiliar "free" WiFi. In tourist areas, some of these are specifically set up just to steal your data as it passes through. Know the WiFi you are logging into, and even then it's best to also use a VPN. Try to avoid logging into financial accounts and anything else that contains sensitive or financial information unless it's absolutely necessary.
  • Some are less than $5 on Amazon, LIKE THESE.

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HIDDEN POCKET UNDERWEAR

  • They make a variety of women’s and men’s undergarments with hidden pockets.
  • Keep one card and some cash next to your body. Other cards and cash can be kept in wallets or purses but make sure those (and your phone) are always kept secure via zippers, ties and other secure closures. Pickpockets in a lot of tourist destinations are extremely talented…
  • Search for undergarments with hidden pockets on Amazon HERE.

 

RFID BLOCKING CREDIT CARD SLEEVES

  • “Tap to pay” credit cards are great BUT present risks. Illicit card readers, that can scan your card while it’s still in your bag or pocket, are a big problem these days so protect your cards.
  • You don’t need an expensive holder or wallet. Sleeves for each card are cheap and simple, like these ($6.99 for 8) that come in different colors so you can still determine which card is which when digging around in your own wallet or purse, LIKE THESE.

Credit -card sleeves

TRAVEL INSURANCE and a SECURITY RESPONSE / MEDICAL TRANSPORT MEMBERSHIP

  • Summer travel is rampant with interruptions, so consider full coverage. If you’re not interested in trip cost coverage, ABSOLUTELY still take out medical…at least $50,000. 1 in 30 trips ends in a medical emergency or safety concern…
  • Understand medevac services of most travel insurance ONLY get you to the nearest hospital. You need a medical transport membership like Medjet to get moved to a hospital at home, just because you want to be moved home.
  • With violent crime on the rise in so many countries, and riots & conflicts erupting in popular tourist destinations, people are nervous. We’ve seen 16 straight months of record-breaking sales on our MedjetHorizon membership, which provides members access to a 24/7 security and crisis response line, including extraction if necessary. Be prepared and know who to call in an emergency, and have additional protection in place with a crisis response membership like this.

If you are a MedjetAssist member, you can upgrade to MedjetHorizon any time prior to travel by calling our Membership Services department at 800-527-7478.

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