Travel seems to be on everyone's calendar this summer.

If that's the case among your clients, safety and security arelikely uppermost on their minds today.

So great is their concern that 72% of U.S. travelers said theywould pay more for their vacation if they could ensure greatersecurity, according to a recent survey by Travelzoo.

What travelers may not realize is that cybercrime isnow as much a threat, if not more, than conventional dangers.

Related: 10 things to do to keep hackers out of yourhome

Whatever your clients' travel plans, you can address thecybercrime safety and security issues they should be aware of —becoming a more trusted professional in the process — by reviewingthe following checklist.

A safe-travel cyber checklist

Don't discuss travel plans on social media. As I mentioned in my column last month, social mediais great for keeping a client's family and friends informed abouttheir travels, but sharing can backfire if cybercriminals find outwhen clients are away and burgle their home. Remind clients not topost travel dates or itineraries, and to warn their children not toshare their own or their parents' travel plans — and never toreveal when no one is home.

Be wary of public Wi-Fi. Clients should alwaysuse secure connections when going online in publicplaces. If they have to use an unsecured connection, remindclients never to check bank balances, login to credit card or otheraccounts, or share important personal information. This informationcan easily be stolen over an unsecure network. Also, remind clientsto turn off Bluetooth and other connectivity features when in apublic area, as these features can be just as vulnerable asWi-Fi.

Be careful getting cash and making payments.Remind clients to be cautious of where they make payments or getcash, since these are the key access points for identity theftamong cybercriminals. Using ATMs at a bank branch is safer thanusing standalone ATMs, and using a credit card for merchandisepurchases is safer than using a debit card, which provides directaccess to a bank account. Clients also should be sure theirliability policy has identity theft coverage.

Related: Hackers are targeting your smartdevices

Turn off home computers. Many clients leavetheir computers on as a matter of habit, but always-on computersare more susceptible to hacking.

Back up all data. Storing all sensitive filesin a secure facility on the cloud is recommended, as is backing updata onto a removable storage device that can be kept in a homesafe.

Change passwords. If your client is taking aniPhone on their trip, suggest they change their Apple ID passwordto something long and difficult to hack. Also, suggest that theyremove credit card information associated with their Apple accountand turn on the lock-screen passcode. That way, if their phone islost or stolen, little information can be accessed. Also have themturn on the "Find My Phone" feature, which can help them find amisplaced or stolen device and the information stored on it.

Register for the Smart Traveler program. TheState Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) athttps://step.state.gov/ is a free service that allowscitizens traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearestU.S. embassy. Enrollment enables embassies to reach travelers in anemergency, as well as help family and friends contact thetravelers.

Protect the home while away

Clients who will be gone for any period of time should take thefollowing steps to protect their homes from cybercriminals: Alertthe home alarm provider so they will know the house is vacant; asktheir alarm company if they offer an encryption tool for their homesecurity system to make it less vulnerable to hackers; disconnectthe garage door opener and lock it manually to protect fromcriminals who can crack the electronic code; and unplug any devicesor appliances connected to the internet.

Related: Home automation: Gains in efficiency but risks areuncertain

Financial advisors, of course, are not expected to be securityexperts, but helping clients protect themselves, their families andtheir possessions while traveling is a valuable and appreciatedservice that your clients won't forget.

Fran O'Brien is division president, NorthAmerica Personal Risk Services for Chubb. She can be reachedat [email protected].