FORT BELVOIR, Va, – ’Tis the season to be wary. For many unsuspecting Soldiers, DA civilians and family members, the holiday season can be a time of crisis. Out on the streets and trolling the internet lurks the seasoned holiday predator, searching for their next target of opportunity.

As part of the ongoing “CID Lookout” Crime Prevention/ Awareness Program, CID is advising the greater Army community who plan on visiting shopping centers/malls or who shop online during the holiday season, to take the following precautions to help prevent them or their loved ones from becoming a victim:

Shopping Safety

·Don’t leave valuables visible in your vehicle; especially, newly purchased items.

·Newly purchased items should be stored in the trunk and, if you are returning to the store, move your vehicle to another location. If someone is watching the area, they will think you are leaving. This may prevent your vehicle from being targeted for the items stored in the trunk.

·Don’t flash a lot of money as you are paying for purchases. Make sure credit cards used are returned to you and keep them in your sight at all times.

·Never carry more packages/bags than you can comfortably carry to your vehicle. Be aware of your surroundings and make eye contact with people as you pass by or approach. Have your car keys out and ready as you arrive at your vehicle.

·Be alert for pickpockets. Their favorite environments are crowded places, revolving doors, jammed aisles, elevators, public transportation stops and vehicles, especially at rush hour. Carry the day’s most expensive purchases closest to your body, and don’t carry so much you lose the ability to react quickly.

·During hours of darkness, park and walk in lighted areas if possible.

·If you have access to a cellular phone, carry it and always ensure it is fully charged.

·Shop in a group or at least in pairs. Always present an alert appearance.

·Visit ATM’s only at well-lighted and populated locations; visit during daylight hours if possible. Using the drive-up is usually safer than walking up or into a facility.

Holiday Personal Safety

·If possible, leave your children with a baby-sitter or family while you are shopping. For holiday shopping, consider making arrangements with family or friends/neighbors, and take turns baby-sitting. If you take your children with you, keep a very close eye on them while shopping.

·Teach your children to go to a store clerk or security guard if they ever get separated from you in a store/mall, and be sure they know their first and last name so they can tell someone who they are.

·Return to the mall or store for assistance if you spot suspicious activity near your vehicle.

·Carry minimal cash and valuables, and wear minimal jewelry.

·Most important, keep vehicle doors and windows closed and locked when they are not in use!

Online Shopping Safety

·Check out the seller: If you have not used a particular online shopping site, do some independent research. Call their phone number to verify that you can reach them if issues come up with your purchase. If they don’t have a phone number, you should take your business elsewhere. Also, search the Internet to see if anyone else has had a positive or negative experience with the shopping site.

·Read return policies: Make sure the online shopping site has policies that meet your needs and expectations. Some sites charge shipping and handling for returns, as well as a restocking fee. Sites with unclear or questionable policies should be avoided.

·Know what you’re getting: Read the product description closely. If name brand items are sold at an extremely low price, they could be counterfeit or stolen. Remember the old adage: “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”

·Don’t fall for a false email or popup: Legitimate com- panies do not send unsolicited email messages asking for your password, login name, or financial information, but scammers do. Delete these emails without clicking on any links, since doing so could install spyware or other malicious programs on your computer. more

·Look for signs a site is safe: When you are ready to buy something from a seller you trust, look for signs that the site uses a secure connection such as a closed padlock on the browser’s status bar before you enter your personal and financial information. When you are asked to provide payment information, the beginning of the Web site’s URL address should change from http to shttp or https, indicating that the purchase is encrypted or secured.

·Secure your home computer: At a minimum, your computer should have antivirus and antispyware software and a firewall. Security software must be updated regularly to help protect against the latest threats. Set your security software and operating system to update automatically.

·Consider how you’ll pay: Credit cards generally are a safe option because they allow buyers to seek a credit from the issuer if the product is not delivered or is not what was ordered. Also, if your credit card number is stolen, you usually will not be liable for more than $50 in charges. Do not send cash or use a money-wiring service because you will have no recourse if something goes wrong.

·Keep a paper trail: Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of any email you exchange with the seller. Read your credit card statements as soon as you get them to make sure there are no unauthorized charges.

·If a member of the Army family believes they have fallen victim to an online shopping scam, CID advises to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency as soon as possible. For crimes occurring on an Army installation, contact the local CID office. For crimes occurring elsewhere, contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) online at http:/ /www.ic3.gov. IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center and serves as a clearinghouse for Internet crime complaints.

·To learn more about online safety, visit the FTC’s OnGuard Online site at http://onguardonline.gov.