Holidays are times for good cheer, gift-giving, and enjoying the company of friends and family. Unfortunately, they are also a time for being scammed out of cash, valuables, or personal possessions. However, by following some simple tips, you can help ensure the safety and security of your family and home this holiday season.

Tips for Home Security Over the Holiday Season

While the holidays may bring out the best in most people, it also brings out the worst in some. From stealing packages and posing as fake charities to snatching your wallet in a crowded mall, scams, theft, and criminal activity rise exponentially during the latter half of the year.

But you don’t need to fall victim to any of these scenarios. The tips below will help ensure you and your family stay safe this holiday season.

Fortify Your Home and Yard

Holidays always coincide with increased break-ins to homes and vehicles. However, stepping up security, landscaping, and pre-vacation security planning are easy ways to thwart a thief’s eye on your home.

First, ensure all first-floor windows are secured with heavy-duty or multiple locks. These are the easiest and most common points of entry for most thieves. So, you’ll want to make these very difficult to open or access.

Second, trim trees, bushes, and hedges around the previously mentioned windows and doors. Leaving less cover for robbers and a clear line-of-sight into your yard for yourself can prevent crimes before they happen. Thieves like to be hidden, so make it difficult for them by reducing the potential hiding places.

Finally, if you’re traveling out of town for the holidays, have a trusted neighbor or family member pick up your mail and newspapers regularly. Likewise, ask them to check your home throughout your time away. Automatic timers for indoor lights will also give the impression that you are home and not a viable target.

Don’t Advertise Your Holiday Plans

When traveling for the holidays, you should not advertise this to anyone outside of close friends and family. The world we live in today is inundated with social media apps that are used by millions of people. Unfortunately, many people feel the need to divulge their holiday destinations (and even the exact dates) to virtual strangers.

With this info, local thieves can find the location of the poster’s home and plan their robbery. Although you may be extremely excited about your upcoming time away, keep your news to yourself, or your next social media post might be a photo of your ransacked house.

Package Protection (Both Inside and Out the Home)

Packages coming to your home most likely increase exponentially in the months and weeks leading up to a major holiday. Because of this, snatch-n-grab thieves are out there and ready to strike. You have a few options to protect your delivered packages.

First, a doorbell camera can alert you when a delivery is dropped off. Similarly, it will identify strangers coming to your door to steal your package. If you are normally not home during delivery times and you expect a lot of packages, it may be wise to have them delivered to a friend or family member’s home instead.

This may take care of outside packages, but don’t forget packages inside your home. Loads of wrapped gifts that can be seen through windows may also entice thieves to this bountiful haul. The less they see, the better. So, it’s wise not to place them within sight of the outside. If this can’t be avoided, then draw your blinds during the day so outsiders can’t see in.

Shopping Safety and Security

Holidays are hectic, especially if you have a huge gift list and time is running out to buy them all. With stress comes carelessness in the shops, in the parking lot, and on the road. When your hands are full, and the mall is crowded with people, pickpockets eye you as the perfect target.

An easily dismissed bump might be a thief taking your wallet, digging in your purse, or snatching a barely held bag. With all the commotion, you may not even notice until you make your next purchase or when you’re home sorting out all the gifts you bought.

The best advice is to keep your money and credit cards deep in your pockets. Likewise, avoid carrying a large bulky purse, and make frequent trips to your car to lighten your load. Correspondingly, store the packages in the trunk, not on the seat.

Thieves throughout the mall have eyes on you, even though you may not know it. If you buy expensive jewelry or high-end electronics, they may follow you to your car and even tail you to your home for a future break-in. Be mindful of this, and always practice situational awareness. Continually scan your surroundings and notice anyone odd or acting peculiarly, and trust your instincts.

Your brain or heart may try to convince you nothing is wrong. Trust your natural sixth sense and err on the side of caution. If you feel you’re being followed as you drive, don’t go home. Instead, test your feelings by turning right four times. If they follow, then you may very well be correct.

Drive to a police station or fire station, and most likely, they will move on.

Suspicious Holiday Charities

There are legitimate charities that seek help during the holiday season for those less fortunate. However, many fraudulent or highly questionable organizations pop up to literally steal money from you.

False representatives may come to your front door and seek donations (which has become rarer in recent years). Similarly, they may deceive you through email, text messages, or false social media posts.

Although you may be generous and caring, don’t immediately open your wallet or enter your credit or debit card number online. Instead, research the organization thoroughly and be sure to check if the website or link is legit.

Scammers often create very convincing websites that mimic authentic charity sites. Don’t hit any links sent to you. Rather, type in the real site’s URL and take notice if it’s the same as the one sent to you.

Scammers rely on your empathy for others to get a quick payout. Do your homework, and you won’t be their next victim.

Enjoy, But Stay Vigilant 

The holidays are a time for family get-togethers, gift-giving, and helping others. Don’t become paranoid and let the “bad guys” ruin your good time.

Just be vigilant, alert, and make some minor adjustments in the way you shop, travel, and secure your home. You’ll almost certainly make potential thieves turn to less prepared targets.