What is identity theft?

And why it could ruin your summer vacation.

You may have heard your parents or another adult talking about identity theft. But, what does that mean?

Identity theft is when bad people take private, personal information and use it to pretend to be someone else. Then they can steal your money by pretending they are you. Imagine if somebody took all of your hard-earned cash. You would be pretty upset.

“Never give out your name, birthday, address or phone number to strangers,” said Katie Scofield, Financial Education Officer at Numerica Credit Union. “If you're playing a video game or on the computer and someone asks you for your personal information, go tell a responsible adult right away.”

And, you can help remind your parents about identity theft too. Whether they're planning a once-in-a-lifetime vacation or a weekend camping trip, it's important to be aware of identity theft before they embark on the big adventure.

Here are some ways to prevent identity theft on vacation:

Let your credit union or bank know if you'll be traveling, especially if you're leaving the country. “Numerica is vigilant about detecting unusual activity on your card. Your card may be blocked if we notice unusual transactions, so avoid the hassle and notify us before you leave home,” said Scofield.

Stop your mail while you're gone. Stop your mail at the post office before you leave for an extended period. Your mail can be a treasure trove for identity theft criminals looking for your personal information.

Be mindful what you post on social media.

From removing geotagging to resisting the urge to post a play-by-play of your beach vacation, you can keep social media from making you a prime target for fraudsters.

• Remove geotagging

When you post to your favorite social media sites, is your location included? Many apps have location tracking built into the software by default. When you are posting about a fun day enjoying holiday beverages or shopping with friends, you are creating a map of your activities.

• Don't be your own paparazzi

Resist the urge to post a play-by-play of your beach vacation. If you pre-post your itinerary of when and where you will be traveling, this can make you a prime target for fraudsters.

• Be careful about the information that you share

The same questions used to identify you when you log into your account can be answers that you easily give out unknowingly on social media. When you can, choose your own security questions. Select questions that are complex and not easy to find on your social pages. As a good test, scroll through your pictures and posts or do a quick Google search to see if you could answer these common security questions.

Weed out your wallet. Tourist destinations are often a haven for pickpockets, so go through your wallet and take out any unneeded credit cards and personal information before you leave. The fewer sensitive documents you have, the fewer chances that they could be stolen. Take only the cards you think you will need and leave your Social Security card at home.

Be careful on public Wi-Fi spots. Hackers may be able to access public networks and see information you send, including bank account numbers, logins and passwords.

Don't leave personal information lying around your hotel room. Keep your credit cards and other important information with you or lock them up in the hotel safe.

Install phone-tracker software. If your device goes missing, you may be able to use “find my phone” or similar software to pinpoint its location and retrieve it. Using “lock screens” on your electronics is another way to prevent your information from falling into the wrong hands.

Be careful around ATMs. Before using the ATM, check for exposed wires, bulkiness where you would insert your card and anything that looks odd. These are signs of a skimming device that can steal the data from your card.

These are just some ways you can help to protect your identity. After all, the last thing you want to think of as you are relaxing on the beach with your toes in the sand is whether or not your money is safe. Find more money tips to keep you living well at numericacu.com/youth.