Identity Theft Tips for In-Store Holiday Shopping
Black Friday, November 25th 2011
Three days from now, when doing your holiday shopping in the store this Black Friday, it’s very important to remember to protect yourself from identity theft.
Follow these tips to help do so:
*Be wary of crowds. When you’re in a packed house, say Sears for example, pickpockets tend to lurk nearby. They are harder to spot and have an easier means of escape when they can slip into a crowd undetected. Don’t get so laden down with shopping bags that your handbag is easy to grab, and keep your wallet in front of you, in a pocket, clutch or fanny pack.
*Keep an eye on your credit card if you have to hand it over at the cash register. Many identity thieves get jobs at restaurants or stores to make the task easier – or they become thieves while employed in those positions. Better yet, patronize places where you can swipe your card yourself. They are becoming more and more prevalent.
*Wear large shoulder pads – or find another way to keep thieves from peeking at your PIN. Alternately, run your debit card through as “credit.†That way you don’t have to enter your PIN at all, so no risk of someone seeing it who shouldn’t.
*Clean out your wallet before you go. Don’t bring identification, receipts, and credit cards you won’t be using on your shopping trip. That way thieves will get as little as possible if they are able to take it away from you. Never shop with a passport or Social Security card on hand.
*Take your credit card receipts and place them on your person. Don’t let the clerk put them in your shopping bag. It’s easy to forget your bags if you stop for a bite to eat – and all of us have left them sitting on top of the car at one time or another. Oftentimes, your credit card company will reimburse you for lost merchandise, but you don’t want a thief getting a hold of your signature. That just makes it easier for her to pretend to be you.
Holiday safety really just comes about when you start to become aware the problem and risk of identity theft and practice awareness of your surroundings daily. When your aware of where and how the thieves lurk you can ensure they don’t take advantage of you and make your holiday shopping, well just normally stressful or perhaps even enjoyable.
Stay Safe and Happy Holidays!