{"id":4398,"date":"2019-12-05T08:02:12","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T08:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/?p=4398"},"modified":"2023-01-03T14:45:25","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T14:45:25","slug":"how-safe-is-your-us-passport-3-rules-to-protect-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/how-safe-is-your-us-passport-3-rules-to-protect-it\/","title":{"rendered":"How Safe Is Your US Passport? 3 Rules to Follow"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>How safe is your US passport? The US has one of the most powerful passports in the world. As a result, it&#8217;s also one of the most sought-after by criminals. \u00a0These 3 rules will help you protect your passport from thieves when you travel.<\/p>\n<h2>Rule #1: Three Places to NEVER Leave Your US Passport<\/h2>\n<p><img wpfc-lazyload-disable=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-4402\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/us-passport-pocket-211x300.jpg\" alt=\"Passport in the back pocket of a pair of men's jeans\" width=\"123\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2qea59vi8or.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/us-passport-pocket-211x300.jpg 211w, https:\/\/d2qea59vi8or.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/us-passport-pocket-768x1090.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2qea59vi8or.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/us-passport-pocket-722x1024.jpg 722w, https:\/\/d2qea59vi8or.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/us-passport-pocket.jpg 1453w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 123px) 100vw, 123px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Protecting your passport means keeping it somewhere defensible. NEVER \u00a0leave it in any of these places:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Your back pocket<\/strong>: This is the easiest pocket to pickpocket. You don&#8217;t have eyes in the back of your head.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A backpack:<\/strong> See above, except at least you&#8217;re a little more likely to feel someone getting frisky with your back pocket.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Purse:<\/strong> It&#8217;s surprisingly easy for thieves and pickpockets to separate you from your purse or to get into your purse without you realizing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Rule #2: Avoid These Common Travel Scams<\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jba5SBpaxAE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><br \/>\nPassport thieves are professionals. They don&#8217;t act randomly. They have a set of procedures they follow to maximize their chances of getting away with your passport. \u00a0The UK government released a video starring &#8220;honest pickpocket&#8221; James Freedman that demonstrates four of the most common tactics used by \u00a0thieves to steal your passport. Watch the video to see the following &#8220;passport hustles&#8221; in action:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Bottleneck:<\/strong> In a crowded area, the pickpocket bumps into the victim. The brief contact is all he needs to swipe the passport before becoming just another face in the crowd.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Hugger Mugger:<\/strong> Pretending to be hopelessly drunk, the pickpocket stumbles up to the hapless tourist and gives him a big hug&#8230;while snatching his passport out of his pocket.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lost Tourist:<\/strong> Holding a map, the thief pretends to be a tourist and approaches the victim to &#8220;ask for directions.&#8221; The map blocks the victim&#8217;s view of their purse or bag while the pickpocket helps himself to their passport.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Distraction:<\/strong> Working as a team, friendly pickpocket number one approaches the victim and asks a seemingly innocent question. Meanwhile, a second thief makes off with the victim&#8217;s bag or purse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/travel\/travel_news\/article-2942564\/Top-10-travel-scams-confidence-tricks-revealed-avoid-them.html\">Daily Mail<\/a> warns readers to be wary at airport security. One common trick: \u00a0After you send your personal items through the X-Ray machine, a thief cuts in front of you having conveniently &#8220;forgotten&#8221; to take his keys out of his pocket. \u00a0The result? You&#8217;re separated from your valuables just long enough for his accomplice to rob you blind.<\/p>\n<h2>Rule #3: Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe<\/h2>\n<p><img wpfc-lazyload-disable=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4406 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/tumblr_m87bsc0tU61r9onvzo2_r1_500.gif\" alt=\"Gandalf saying You Shall Not Pass\" width=\"500\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Where should you keep your US passport when you travel? Of course you need to carry your passport while you&#8217;re in transit, but what about when you arrive at your destination? Some experts say it&#8217;s best to leave it locked in a hotel safe. Others say to keep it with you at all times. Consider the hotel&#8217;s reputation and your plans for the day before you decide.<\/p>\n<p>When you&#8217;re out and about with it, the best place to keep your passport is the on a passport holder around your neck, under your clothes. Pretend it&#8217;s the one ring, and you&#8217;re Frodo Baggins.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport<\/h2>\n<p>Although only a small percentage of Americans report their passport lost or stolen each year, you don&#8217;t want to be one of the unlucky ones. \u00a0Still, these things happen even with the best of precautions. Here&#8217;s what to do if it happens to you.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve lost your passport in another country, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/what-should-you-do-if-your-passport-is-lost-or-stolen-while-traveling-abroad\/\">go directly to the closest US Embassy for help<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve lost your passport in the US, apply for a replacement in person at a passport office. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/help-center\/documents-needed\/\">Find out what you&#8217;ll need here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In the US, replacing a lost or stolen passport can take six weeks for normal service. If you expedite at a post office, it will take two to three weeks. For faster service, make an appointment at the nearest passport agency office. Many people have trouble making it to a passport agency due to distance and time constraints. So, a more convenient option is to use a passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.<\/p>\n<p>Need a new passport fast? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/\">Let us help!<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Photo credits:\u00a0<strong>ID <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/stock-images-american-passport-back-pocket-image24935734\">24935734<\/a> \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamstime.com\/capricorn78_info\" title=\"Capricorn78\">Capricorn78<\/a> | Dreamstime.com,<span class=\"ccIcn ccIcnSmall\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\"><\/a><\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\" title=\"Attribution License\">Some rights reserved<\/a> by John Paul Dantanus<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How safe is your US passport? The US has one of the most powerful passports in the world. As a result, it&#8217;s also one of the most sought-after by criminals. \u00a0These 3 rules will help you protect your passport from thieves when you travel. Rule #1: Three Places to NEVER Leave Your US Passport Protecting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":25774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7,114],"tags":[1823,390,188],"class_list":["post-4398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-important-documents","category-passport-processing","category-travel-warnings","tag-passport-safe","tag-passport-security","tag-travel-tips"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4398"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42158,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4398\/revisions\/42158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rushmypassport.com\/newlp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}