With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, criminals are out in full force looking to have a happy holiday at your expense.
A basic holiday scam is asking for ‘charitable’ contributions whether that is in front of stores, over the phone, by mail, email or any other means that the crook can conjure up. Simply put, if you don’t know the charity, don’t give unless you are willing to do a little legwork to confirm their legitimacy.
The same goes for people looking to offer financially-strapped people work-from-home jobs or too-good-to-be-true credit cards. If someone wants a processing fee in advance of giving you that easy money job or credit card, do not take it.
When using public wireless networks, be careful that the access point is not that of a hacker looking for information off of your computer. In general, never use your credit card online when utilizing a public wi-fi network.
Another growing area for scams are fake gift cards offered via Facebook or emails. A telltale sign on this scam is that the person offering the gift card wants personal information such as your social security number or a credit card number. A variation on this scam is where the gift card is offered to people signing up for their website or fan page. In reality, they are looking for ways to steal your personal information. Along these lines, never open the anonymous “e-card” as it is often malware meant to infect your computer and steal information.
While away from home, be extra careful when locking your house. Thieves prefer an open door or window to an actual break-in. A simple theft deterrent idea that gives the impression that you are at home is leaving a radio or television on.
If you are leaving home for more than a few hours, light timers are another inexpensive and effective security measure. Also, make sure to stop your newspaper and mail as build-ups of either tell a criminal that you are away. If you can, have a trustworthy neighbor keep an eye on your house. Also, think twice before leaving a message on your answering machine that tells people that you are away. Your Facebook posts are another giveaway. Do you really want to advertise that you are not home?
A lot of people leave keys under a door mat, flower pot or in a fake rock. Criminals look for this when trying to enter your home. If you have to leave a key out, put it in a password secured key lock.
Another simple security measure is to keep your Christmas tree away from the front window as the presents surrounding the tree tell passing opportunistic hoods whether your house is worth burgling.
While out and about shopping, if you plan on carrying a number of packages, think about leaving the purse at home. Men should also be careful and put their wallet in a front pocket or the interior jacket pocket as the back pocket is easy to pick in a crowded store.
In general, do not carry cash – use a check or credit card as both are safer ways to shop. Once you have made the purchase, do not leave unattended packages in your back seat – put them in the trunk. If shopping at night, park in a well- lit location and have your keys in hand when approaching your car in the parking lot.
Lastly, you can prevent what is often the deadliest of holiday crimes – drinking and driving. It may be a cliche but friends don’t let friends drive drunk.
