But in your haste to take advantage of great deals, don't forget to take steps to protect your personal information. Travelers, long beleaguered by pickpockets and con artists, increasingly are targeted by identity thieves.

ATMs are plentiful these days, especially in retail meccas like Ala Moana Center. When using the machines, identity-theft experts warn you to be on the lookout for lurkers trying to steal your PIN. Advertiser library photo

So before you leave for your trip of European capitals, clean out your wallet. Remove items you won't need, such as credit cards for department stores and gas stations. You'll provide fewer opportunities for identity thieves and reduce the number of long-distance phone calls you'll have to make if your wallet is stolen.

Vaules recommends carrying no more than two major credit cards while traveling.

Other tips for vacationers:

• Ask the post office to hold your mail while you're gone. A full mailbox is a meal ticket for identity thieves. They often use information from bills or pre-approved credit card solicitations to set up fictitious accounts.

Don't rely on a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail. The individual may forget, and identity thieves often monitor homes that appear to be unoccupied, Vaules says.

• Leave your checkbook at home. With a stolen checkbook, an identity thief can order new checks and have them mailed to his address, Vaules says. Take only as many checks as you need and keep a record of the check numbers. Or consider using traveler's checks.

The USA Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism law that requires banks to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts, makes checking account scams more difficult, Vaules says.

• Be on the lookout for "shoulder surfers" when using automated teller machines. ATMs are available in many countries now, allowing vacationers to carry less cash. But watch out for lurkers seeking to get your PIN.

Tactics vary: Some stand in line behind you, while others watch from a strategic location with a pair of binoculars. Once they've captured your PIN, the shoulder surfers will try to steal your wallet or purse so they can get your ATM card. Be aware of your surroundings and shield the ATM keypad when entering your PIN.

Shoulder surfers use similar tactics when tourists make credit card calls on public phones, Vaules says. If you know you'll be using public phones, consider using a prepaid phone card instead of a credit card, he says.

• Prepare for the worst. Compile a list of credit card account numbers, credit limits and expiration dates and put it in a safe place. Carry the customer service phone numbers for your credit cards with you so you'll know whom to contact if your wallet or purse is stolen.

If you act quickly, financial institutions will be able to close your accounts before the thief has racked up a lot of fraudulent charges.

Even vigilant travelers can become victims of identity theft. Fortunately, a new initiative by the major credit bureaus has made it easier to limit the damage.

In the past, victims of identity theft had to contact all three major credit-reporting agencies to report identity theft. Now, you can alert all of the credit bureaus with a single toll-free phone call, says Norm Magnuson, spokesman for the Consumer Data Industry Association, a trade group for the credit-reporting industry.

The credit bureau that receives the call will notify the other two agencies, he says. Then, all three credit bureaus will post a "fraud alert" on your credit file within 24 hours and halt pre-approved credit card offers for two years. They'll also send you a free copy of your credit report so you can check it for errors.

The program is designed to make it easier for victims to report a crime, Magnuson says.

"Most people who are victims of identity theft really don't even know there are three national credit-reporting systems," he says.

A fraud alert makes it more difficult for criminals to open accounts in your name, a common practice among identity thieves. Lenders typically will call you before opening an account to make sure it's legitimate.