During the holiday season thefts increase dramatically.
During the holiday season we see an increase of shopping, meals with family and friends and lots of parties. For some people, these increases offer an opportunity to steal gifts, cars, your identity, even Christmas decorations. Many of these are crimes of opportunity, and they can be prevented with some simple steps.
Here are 5 types of theft that you should guard against during the holiday season:
1. Home safety
-Since online shopping has increased in popularity over the years, it also creates easy opportunities for thieves to steal packages from a front or side porch. Thieves time and again follow delivery trucks waiting for an opportunity to strike. For preventative purposes, most online retailers send emails and text messages so purchasers know almost immediately when a package has been delivered. More importantly, if no one is home during the day, consider having packages delivered to an office address or the home of a trusted friend or neighbor.
-Be aware that thieves may pose as couriers delivering packages or try to solicit donations for charitable causes. Always ask for identification and how the money will be used. Furthermore, consider only donating to well-known organizations that you can check out on Charity Navigator or a similar site.
-Consider keeping pre-wrapped gifts placed under the tree out of sight until closer to the big day. Christmas trees placed near windows and doors provide thieves with the opportunity to see the availability and easy access.
-Put inside and outside lights on timers. This could make it look like someone is home.
-Always lock doors and windows when leaving the house.
-Consider changing the location of hidden house keys or even removing it altogether during the holidays.
– Prevent fires during the holidays. Don’t leave candles in a room unattended or near anything flammable, such as curtains or wrapping paper. Make sure that the Christmas tree has plenty of water so it doesn’t dry out. Use the proper lights for inside and outside, and be careful not to overload extension cords or electrical outlets.
-When cooking, don’t leave pots unattended on the stove and monitor ovens for flare ups. Keep fire extinguishers close by in case of cooking or other fires.
2. Vehicle safety
-A typical Holiday shopper is often distracted from the rush of the season. Their focus is on their lists and juggling packages than paying attention to their surroundings. They also may be talking to shopping companions, or on the phone, texting or searching the internet. Unfortunately, it’s precisely this kind of scenario that attracts carjackers.
-Recently, there are many warnings about a carjacking scams that targets unsuspecting shoppers. They try many ways to distract and attack. If feel that you are in danger, immediately get into your car, lock your doors and drive to a safe location before removing it. You should also notify law enforcement or security personnel in the area.
-Become a smart shopper, approach your car with your keys in hand and be aware of who is around, park in well-lit areas, and shop with a friend or other family member. You should never be distracted by texting or talking on their cell phones so you are more focused on what is going on around you.
-Don’t leave packages open in the car, put them in the trunk or place them out of sight in the vehicle. Also, purses or other valuables should never be left in vehicles.
3. Business safety
-Store owners hire a lot of extra help during the holidays. It is always important to conduct proper screening and background checks of any prospective employees. Companies that don’t take appropriate precautions run the risk of hiring serial fraudsters in the rush to bring on new help. All employees should be trained to watch for fraud or suspicious activity from shoppers and other employees.
-Shoplifting also increases during the holidays, and more retailers are installing security devices to combat theft — door alarms that can be triggered by security tags on clothing and other items, tethers for high-value articles and surveillance cameras. Both employees and shoppers should be aware of shoplifters and report any suspicious behavior.
4. In-store safety
-Shoppers need to take extra precautions, starting with being aware of their surroundings and who is near them at all times.
-Don’t carry a lot of cash and be sure to wait until asked to produce a credit card. Consider storing credit cards in a radio-frequency identification-blocking wallet or sleeve to protect thieves from cloning any credit cards.
-Shoppers should keep a close eye on their purses and carry them close to their bodies to make it harder for purse snatchers. Also, consider the kind of purse you’re carrying. Try not to carry purses that are open at the top or back pack style where thieves have easy access.
-When using Social Media, don’t advertise shopping trips, travel plans, holiday parties or some of the great “deals” you got while shopping online. Turn off the geolocation services on cell phones when not using the mapping feature to make it harder for thieves to track your movements through social media posts or the phone itself.
5. Online safety
-When shopping online, use one credit card for purchases and then track the charges either online or on the statement when it arrives.
-Make sure to use website that are secure and completely log off when completing any purchases. Shoppers should look for an “s” in website URLs. An address that begins with “https://” means the information is encrypted, making it harder for identity thieves looking to steal credit card numbers, passwords or other online identification.
-If the retailer provides the option choose a specific delivery time and make sure someone is home to accept delivery. If you know you will not be home, consider having your package delivered to a local store for picking up. Take advantage of delivery alerts so you can be notified when a package arrives at your home. If you’re not available to accept delivery, ask a trusted neighbor to take your package inside for safekeeping.
-Another option, ask the delivery company to hold your package at their closest pick-up facility until you can retrieve it. You also can ask the shipper to require a signature confirmation of delivery in order to prevent packages being left when no one is home to sign for them. It’s also helpful to provide delivery instructions so packages can be left out of sight from your yard or the road.
-Do not use public Wi-Fi when shopping online because unsecured hotspots can allow hackers to access information on devices. Also beware who is around when entering your passwords on your phone or tablet; many thieves try to steal passwords. Unfortunately, video makes it easy for a thief to replay keystrokes for passwords until finding the right combination of characters.
Be Preventative This Holiday Season and Stay Alert & Take Some Basic Precautions.
If you discover any electrical issues during your Holiday Season, contact Innovative Electric Today.
908-879-7078
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