Christmas shopping safety tips: Buyers beware!
As Christmas approaches so do all of the last-minute Christmas shopping, massive mall crowds, and lots of opportunities for criminals to do what they do best.
Buyers beware. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, but it can be difficult to be jolly if your car window gets smashed and you’ve become a victim of a smash and grab and your parcels get stolen.
Here is a list of shopping mall safety hacks to make your Christmas shopping expeditions safer from start to finish:
1. Park as close to the entrance of the mall as possible. The closer you are, the more visible your car is to the crowds if something is to potentially happen. Also, take a photo of the pillar indicating where you’ve parked. Nothing is worse than thinking your car is MIA when you’ve actually just forgotten where it is.
2. Identity fraud is a real thing and we don’t really consider it happening until it’s too late. To avoid identity fraud, when handing over your bank card at the cashier till cover it completely. The reason for this is simple. If there is a potential person wanting to steal your identity, it is too easy for a person behind you to pretend that they are typing when they are actually taking a sneaky photo of all your details. Once that picture is taken, identity thieves hold access to your name, credit card number, and your address. So just to be safe, cover your card and keep your guard up.
3. Shopping can get rather tiring. If you stop off for a bite to eat or a beverage to quench your thirst DO NOT leave your shopping bags behind you or your handbag on the chair behind you! Put your shopping parcels underneath the table in front of you and your handbag on your lap, leaving no room for opportunistic thieves to take action.
4. When heading back to your vehicle, be aware of your surroundings and have your keys ready in your hand. If you have forgotten where you are parked, hopefully, you followed the first step of taking a photo of the pillar near your car.
5. While approaching your car, scope out your surroundings to make sure there is no strange activity or people up to no good. Lastly, don’t forget to put your packets in the BOOT of your car to avoid potential smash and grab situations.
Stay safe and be cautious this festive season.