Going on vacation is supposed to be a way to soothe your nerves and forget about the worries of the world. But, in addition to all the hassles of travel, vacations are a prime opportunity for you to be taken advantage of, And don’t forget that empty house back home that’s now a target for thieves.

This is why money maven Jean Chatzky came up with this list of four things you must do to protect yourself and your temporarily vacated home.

1. Secure Your House
Don’t tip off burglars that you’re away from home. Suspend newspaper and mail delivery; get a timer for your lights; mow the lawn and trim the hedges before you leave.

2. Don’t Spread the News
There’s no need to go telling everyone on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and everywhere else that you’re going to be away in Tahiti for a week.

3. Secure Your Wallet
Only bring the ID and cards you will need for that trip. If you’re not traveling internationally, don’t bring your passport.

4. Use Wi-Fi Carefully
Be wary of free Wi-Fi connections in airports, coffee shops and hotels. Don’t look at any sites — bank accounts, credit cards — that would potentially expose your most vital financial info to scammers.

Now is where you tell us what’s good, bad and missing about this list. So… fire away!

Jean Chatzky: 4 things you MUST do to avoid getting ripped off while traveling [NY Daily News]

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