Holiday Safety Tips

The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, but it is also a time for opportunists to take advantage of the crowds and money being spent.

It is important to stay vigilant to stay safe and keep our community safe. Report suspicious activity to the Upper Merion Township Police at 610-265-3232 and make sure to sign up for their CrimeWatch page. Upper Merion Department of Public Safety has compiled some tips to share this holiday season:

When Shopping

• Stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you.
• Shop with a friend; there is safety in numbers.
• Pay for purchases with check, credit or debit card.
• NEVER leave you purse hang over the back of your chair in a restaurant, keep it in front of you were no once can remove its contents.
• Do not carry a wallet in a back pocket. It should be in the front pocket of your pants.
• Thieves or robbers often look for “high value” shopping bags with your purchases. When possible, slip bags/purchases in a plain nondescript bag.
• Watch purchases when eating at mall food courts; bags can be easily switched or taken.
• Have your car keys in hand before leaving a store.
• If you do return to your vehicle to unload packages, place them in the trunk. If possible, move your car in case someone is watching.
• Park in a high visibility area with good lighting and ample pedestrian traffic.
• Avoid parking next to vehicles with dark tinted windows.
• Prior to arriving at a shopping center or mall, lock all valuables in the trunk of your vehicle.
• Walk briskly, confidently and directly through the parking lot. Be cautious of people handing out fliers or asking questions in the parking area.
• Carry only what you need. Extra cash, credit cards, checks, jewelry and other items should be left at home. If it is necessary to carry a purse, keep it in front and close to your body.
• Don’t be overburdened with packages. Carrying several shopping bags makes you look vulnerable. Request a store to hold your merchandise until you are finished with your shopping. If the store does not offer that service, place your purchases in the trunk of your car before you buy additional items.
• Lock your car. Most thefts from vehicles occur on vehicles that are left unlocked.
• Know who you are paying, via person to person payments, i.e., Zelle, Venmo, etc. Pay and receive money only with people you know.

Shopping Online

• Do some research. Especially before you buy from an unfamiliar seller, search online for the name of the seller plus words like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” See what others say about their experience with the seller.
• Check the terms of the sale. Look at the price, other charges, their refund policy, who pays for return shipping, and if there’s a restocking fee.
• Pay by credit card, whenever possible. Credit cards offer more protections, and give you the option to dispute charges if what you get isn’t what you ordered, or you get nothing at all.
• Never buy from online sellers who demand you pay with gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency. Only scammers tell you to pay that way.

Package Delivery

• Have your package delivered to a location where someone can receive it in person. A neighbor or relative who is usually home, or if you have an understanding boss, to your workplace, are good alternatives.
• Encourage you neighbors to watch for deliveries and agree to secure each other’s packages. This includes being watchful for any stranger who is going onto porches for no apparent reason or following delivery trucks.
• Request the shipper to hold your package at their facility. Most offer this service.
• Track deliveries online. Many companies offer a text notification to your cell phone when a package has been delivered.
• Request a signature confirmation of delivery.
• Insure valuable items.
• Provide delivery instructions. If packages will be left while you are not home, try to have them left out of sight from the street.
• Don’t click on links in messages about an unexpected delivery.  If you get a message about an unexpected package delivery that tells you to click on a link for some reason, don’t click.
• Contact the shipping company directly to get more information. If you think the message might be legitimate, contact the shipping company using a phone number or website you know is real. Don’t use the information in the message.

Donating to Charities

• Don’t be rushed or pressured into giving, especially over the phone. If it’s a request to donate on social media, take the time to make sure the person who shared it with you knows the organization or person fundraising.
• Research the charity before you give. Search the name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.” Organizations like the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Watch, or Candid also let you research charities.
• Don’t trust your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information. Calls can look like they come from your local area code, or from a specific organization, even if they don’t. In reality, the caller could be anywhere in the world.
• Check out the charity’s website. Does it give you details about the programs you want to support or how it uses donations? How much of your donation will go directly to support the programs you care about? If you can’t find detailed information about a charity’s mission and programs, be suspicious.
• Pay attention to how you pay. If a charity asks you to pay with cryptocurrency, by wiring money through Western Union or MoneyGram, with a payment app, or with a gift card, it’s likely a scam. Donating by credit card or check is safer.

Learn more about avoiding charity scams at ftc.gov/charity.