Expert Issues Warning For All Travelers About TSA Security

Between the lines, other frantic travelers, and the often confusing instructions given by the agents, going through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at the airport can be one of the most stressful experiences you face while traveling. As a result, it's often a time when you're the most vulnerable to theft.

Given the distractions and the stress of going through airport security, and the fact that travelers are briefly separated from their belongings as they go through the scanner, travelers can often be targeted by criminals at the very checkpoint that's designed to keep you safe during your travels.

Given these risks, one travel expert has issued a warning that all travelers should remember next time they go through airport security.

Do Not Put Your Phone in the Bin

Typically, when you go through the TSA security checkpoint at the airport, the agents will instruct everyone to place all of their belongings in a bin so that your belongings can go through the scanner and agents can ensure that everything brought onto a plane is safe.

However, there is one item that you should never put directly in a bin: your phone.

In a TikTok that has over half a million views travel expert Tiffany (@travel.by.the.books) warns to never place your phone directly in a bin.

"The thing I'm absolutely never doing when I'm going through TSA - I am not putting my phone directly into one of the containers," she says in the video. "It's always going in a zipped pocket in my bag."

Tiffany said that she used to put her phone directly into the bin, but a TSA agent warned her that this was "the fastest way to get it stolen."

"The TSA agent looked at me and was like, ‘You don't like your phone?'" she recounts. "I said, ‘Yes?' And he said, ‘This is the fastest way to get it stolen.'"

Put Your Items in Your Bag

The reason why this is so dangerous is that when lines back up, or travelers are pulled aside for additional screening, your belongings often sit unsupervised, making it easy for anyone to walk up and swipe whatever is sitting loose in the bin.

Instead, the best thing to do is to simply put all of your items safely in your carry-on bag.

While Tiffany specifically singled out a phone in her guidance, this same advice would apply to any valuable item that thieves might target, including wallets, jewelry, headphones, sunglasses, cash, or anything else small and easy to swipe.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:01 PM.