Tips to Protect Yourself Against Criminal Activity This Holiday Season
From petty theft to the sophisticated con man, the holiday season marks a time of desperation for many criminals and added vulnerability for the lawful.
This article will discuss different types of criminal activity that increase around the holidays. We will offer some tips on how you can avoid becoming a victim of holiday crime as well as some things to consider if you find yourself in holiday trouble.
DUI accidents and arrests increase around the holidays
Alcohol is a feature of many holiday celebrations. It is no surprise that it also plays a major role in many holiday incidences. Getting behind the wheel impaired can be a life-changing mistake and must be avoided.
Avoid driving at night.
Driving home from Christmas parties can be very dangerous. Impaired driving is not only criminal, but it also puts the driver as well as others’ lives at risk. By keeping your family off the roads at night, you limit dangerous exposure to drunk drivers.
Gift Cards: How the scammer stole Christmas
The anonymous nature of gift cards makes them a common tool for criminals. As part of the con, a Scammer will request that a victim purchase gift cards on the scammer’s behalf. The best way to protect yourself from this is to avoid gift card purchases for anyone you do not know personally.
Avoid deals that seem too good to be true.
Retailers all around offer holiday sales to get prospective customers in the door—some of these sales border on the edge of believability. Sales at the mall are harmless but offers like “holiday getaway tickets” on Facebook marketplace, for example, should be avoided.
Consumers eager to save money too often let their guard down. The pending deadline of a holiday motivates potential victims to act fast to save a dollar. The speed of modern e-commerce can leave an individual scammed before they suspect something isn’t right.
The two most prevalent of these holiday scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes. In a non-delivery scam, a buyer pays for goods or services they find online, but those items are never received. Conversely, a non-payment scam involves goods or services being shipped, but the seller is never paid.
According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) 2021 report, non-payment or non-delivery scams cost people more than $337 million.
Always stay vigilant and verify website security when shopping online.
Website security can be verified by checking for the lock icon next to the URL address.
December is the Number 1 month for shoplifting.
Shoplifting is very prevalent and the holidays mean more of it. Shoplifters are more motivated and the additional traffic makes catching them more difficult for retailers.
Retailers and consumers aren’t the only ones affected by shoplifting. The majority of shoplifting is done by younger people. The shoplifter may even be a member of your family. If a loved one is in need of legal representation, we are here to help.
Home burglary rates are at a high around holidays.
Many people travel during the holiday season leaving their homes unattended. Criminals will take advantage of this information and will target the homes of those out of town.
83,000 burglaries occurred during the holiday period last year, leading to an estimated $130.5 million in losses.
Leave a light on and have a neighbor get the mail when going on holiday vacation
The office of justice programs recommends some practical things that can be done to help prevent home break-ins.
Doors that are unlocked, have weak frames, have outside door hinges, or glass are particularly easy to enter. These doors should be repaired, reinforced, or replaced. Entrance doors should be solid wood or metal and should have peepholes. The office of justice programs further recommends deadbolts be used as well.
Higher store attendance means more car break-ins
Shopping malls and big retailers find their parking lots at capacity during the holiday season. While these filled lots are good for business, they can be nearly impossible to surveil. Criminals use the opportunity to steal valuables from the cars of shoppers inside.
Keep valuables out of sight when parking your car
The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends avoiding making your car a target for break-ins by parking in highly visible areas. Keep shopping bags, cell phones, tablets, purses, backpacks, and other personal property out of sight.
Avera & Smith Attorneys at Law are here for you
The attorneys at Avera & Smith have successfully represented hundreds of individuals of various backgrounds and we can help you, too. We have the expertise, experience, and integrity needed to properly defend our clients in a court of law. If you or a loved one are in need of legal representation, reach out to Avera & Smith today.