I’ve traveled for work and have seen some crazy things out there. In most cases, I think people just seem to let their guard down. We are so focused on what we’re doing that we don’t notice all the nosy people around or the risks we take. We completely forget where they are among others who have no business eavesdropping on their conversation, laptop screens, or personal information. I’ll be the first to say that I’m guilty of these things myself.

Here are four things I see while traveling, and ways to improve them.

Confidential phone conversations

The amount of confidential information I would overhear in public used to surprise me. This is mostly phone conversations. In a busy and noisy airport, conference center, hotel lobby or restaurant, we tend to overcompensate and speak very LOUD. Trust me, loud people, everyone can hear you. Once, at a fairly quiet retail store, I overheard a woman speak her entire bank account number! She made no effort in subtlety. Be aware of your surroundings and really consider whether it’s ok to talk about anything that you wouldn’t want someone else to hear.

Confidential information on a screen

I’ve lost count how many times someone has an important looking document on their laptop screen. If I’m behind or beside you in the terminal or on a plane, I can easily see what you’re working on. This goes for cell phones as well. Especially for one younger woman texting with a friend on some juicy conversation in the middle of a crowded bus in Washington DC. I noticed a few people were overlooking that conversation. Be aware of your surroundings, re-position yourself, or save it for later if you can.

You can also try something like this…

Rental car Bluetooth

When I rent a car, someone has inevitably paired their Bluetooth phone to the audio system. Usually, I can see some details about that phone. Occasionally, I can see the ENTIRE phone book in the audio system. The person opted to allow their contacts to be downloaded to the phone. The rental agency won’t do you the favor to clear the phone out of the audio system. I admit to forgetting to do this as well. At least don’t let the system download the entire phonebook to the car!

Wi-Fi in the airport, hotel or coffee shop

These days, we expect Wi-Fi to be available and free everywhere. These open Wi-Fi services carry some risks. By “open,” I mean networks that aren’t password protected. These aren’t necessary free, as some hotel and airport Wi-Fi does charge a fee. I’m definitely not in support of using open Wi-Fi without a VPN. I’ve talked about this in my Top Ten list, which is good reading.

What are the risks? Someone with average computer skills can find, install, and run free software which can let them see ALL of the traffic on a Wi-Fi network. It’s fairly simple, and  can be accomplished in less than five minutes! Another risk exists from spoofed networks. They seem legitimate but are far from it. This one is more complex, yet there are plenty of how-to guides where someone could learn in a few hours.

A VPN service definitely helps, I use Private Internet Access and I’m very happy with it. At the least, never connect to sensitive websites such as social media or banking.

Summary

So overall, what I see while traveling is a general lack of situational awareness. We’re wrapped up in our little world and fail to notice what is happening around us. Think before you discuss important topics. Think before you work on something (laptop or smart phone) that could also be sensitive. Clear out (or avoid using) Bluetooth in rental cars. And, don’t use public/open Wi-Fi without a VPN. Thanks for reading, please sign up below for new articles and other news delivered right to your email.