Holiday Safety & Shopping Tips from the Connecticut State Police

It's the heart of the holiday shopping season, and the race is on to find those special gifts for everyone on your Christmas list.

East Haddam residents are fortunate to have so many great local stores and gift shops to chose from, right here in town. But for those of us who will venture out to the shopping malls and surrounding towns and cities, the Connecticut State Police have some important tips to keep you and your family safe. 

Following this advice can reduce the opportunity criminals have to target you, your family or your personal property:

•  Lock your cars while shopping and while parked at home;  move valuables out of  sight.
•  Shop with friends/family; remember safety in numbers.
•  Never leave your vehicle running when you go into a store.
•  Never leave children unattended in the store or alone in a  vehicle. (as well as  being dangerous, you can be charged  criminally)
•  Teach your children about stranger safety. 
•  Keep your purse close to you; carry your wallet in your  front pocket.
•  Don’t leave your purse unattended in a shopping cart.
•  Have your keys out when approaching your vehicle.
•  Be aware of your surroundings.
•  Keep purchased merchandise in your trunk/out of view.
•  Park in a well-lit area if shopping at night. 
•  Alert store security/police if you see an unattended bag.
•  Alert store security/police if you notice someone acting  suspiciously. 
•  Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
•  Only give cash to someone at a register; be alert for  criminals posing as  employees. 
•  Be alert for strangers/con-artists distracting you while  another person takes  your purse/wallet.

Many of us will choose​ not to travel, but rather do their holiday shopping from home, on the internet. Online thieves and hackers can be a threat, and police have some advice to keep your accounts and information secure:

•  Make sure the computer you’re using has security  software/anti-virus/spyware/ firewalls.
•  Keep your login usernames and passwords secure.
•  Only shop from secure websites; look for the padlock icon  in the URL or at the  bottom of the screen. Also make sure  the URL starts with https:// 
•  Only shop from reputable companies, i.e. Amazon.com,  Macys.com,  Bestbuy.com, etc. Look for tricks in the URL  such as Amazon.net,  Bestbye.com, Maceys.com
•  Never send personal information via email to “verify”  information; legitimate  companies/banks would never ask  you to do this.
•  Online shopping companies do not need your social  security number; asking for your SSN is a red flag.
•  Save receipts/email confirmations for purchases made  online. 
•  Review bank statements to double-check transactions and  identify any suspicious activity.

An alternative to using your credit card online would be to purchase a gift card with a pre-set amount on it, which are available at most convenience stores or pharmacies. They charge a small activation fee, but can be used just as you would use any credit/debit card.

If you're planning to have packages delivered directly to your home rather than the post office and your door-step is visible from the road, consider asking a neighbor to watch for and pick up the package if you're not going to be home on the day it's expected to arrive. Thieves have been "in the news" and caught on surveillance cameras, picking up packages that have been dropped off by the parcel delivery trucks.

For more tips about online shopping safety, you can visit StaySafeOnline.org at  https://www.staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/protect-your-personal-information/online-shopping

Have a safe & happy holiday season!

*Photo credit Dreamstime.com