Originally Posted by
flsusi
first off, please dont pack your laptop in your checked bag - the batteries could catch fire in the cargo hold and that would be bad news all around.
I wouldnt pack my credit cards in the checked in luggage either, simply cause checked bags often get lost and I wouldn't want anything valuable to be in them.
All that aside, I dont think you need to be too worried. the run of the mill TSA agent has neither ability, nor motivation or time to download laptop data or copy credit cards
Ever since they made us take out our laptops for inspection, I pretty much stopped traveling with my laptop as I don't want to be slowed down at security. I find that my smartphones can do pretty much everything that I need to do. When I need to type something long, I have a Bluetooth keyboard for that purpose. The reason why I brought my laptop with me was because I intend to use it to do the tele-COVID test. This was before the mandatory COVID test was eliminated. I didn't want to take it out for security so I threw it inside my suitcase. I guess that may have been the reason for my bag being checked?
Has there been reforms after all of those stories of TSA agents stealing? Are there cameras recording their inspections?
Maybe I'll avoid the hassle of replacing my credit cards then. I think I feel better after reading your post.