Page 4B
According to Sheriff
Alan Norman “This time
of year attracts more shop-
ping-related criminal ac-
tivity because of the larger
crowds and the extended
store hours. These factors
and the usual distraction
of shopping, creaes a more
favorable environment for
petty thieves and other of-
fenders.
The Sheriff reminds all
Cleveland County residents
to follow these safety tips:
Shopping Safety:
» A single shopper is the
best target for theft. Al-
ways shop with a friend or
relative.
» When going shopping,
tell someone where you
are going and what time to
expect you to return. Also,
make sure they know what
you are wearing, as well as
the type of vehicle you are
driving.
» Shop during daylight
hours. If you shop at night,
park your vehicle in a well-
lit area.
» Dress casually and
comfortably and avoid
wearing expensive jewelry.
If carrying cash, keep it in
your front pocket rather
than in a purse or wallet.
This makes it much more
difficult for a pick-pocket to
remove. Also store car keys
in a pants or jacket pocket.
If your purse is stolen, you
will still be able to drive
home.
e Pay careful attention
to your surroundings and
avoid overloading yourself
with packages. It is import-
ant to have clear visibility
and freedom of motion to
avoid mishaps.
« When returning to your
vehicle, check around it and
in the back seat. Be aware
of strangers approaching
you for any reason. Have
your car keys in your hand
to avoid spending unneces-
sary time unprotected from
the security of your vehicle.
« If you feel uneasy re-
turning to your vehicle
alone, find a security guard
and ask them to walk you to
your car.
According to Sheriff
Norman, “during this time
of year, busy holiday shop-
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.com
Local Sheriff Offers Tips For Safe
Shopping During the Holiday Season
pers become careless and
vulnerable to other crimes
as well. Credit card fraud
and gift card fraud are on
the rise. However, taking
a few preventive measures
can help.”
Credit Card Fraud:
* Keep a close watch on
your credit card every time
you use it, and make sure
you get it back as
quickly as possible.
* Never write your PIN
number on your credit card.
Never leave your credit
cards or receipts lying
around.
e Shield your credit
card number so that others
around you can’t copy it or
capture it on a mobile tele-
phone or other camera.
* Only carry credit cards
that you absolutely need.
¢ Shred anything with
your credit card number
written on it.
» If you’re planning to
purchase online, make sure
the web page where you
enter your credit card in-
formation is secure through
SSL (Secure Socket Layer).
You can tell if the web page
is secure by looking for the
gold lock or key icon at
the bottom corner of your
browser window.
» If you’re not comfort-
able submitting your infor-
mation through the internet,
call the seller and give them
your information over the
telephone. Never send your
credit card information via
email.
» Check the company
out. Only do business with
companies that provide a
physical address and telé-
phone number.
» Keep good records. Al-
ways print out a copy of any
online Keep good records.
Always print out a copy of
any online products or ser-
vices you purchase.
Gift Card Fraud:
» Never buy gift cards
from online auction sites.
This 1s a large source of gift
card fraud. Many of the gift
cards are stolen, counterfeit
or used.
* Only buy gift cards di-
rectly from the store issuing
the gift card or from a se-
i
Here’s My Card
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
cure retailer’s website.
* Don’t buy gift cards off
of publicly displayed racks
in retail stores. Only pur-
chase gift cards at the sales
terminal from the cashier.
» Always carefully ex-
amine both the front and
back of a gift card before
you buy it. If you see a PIN
number, ask for a different
card. If the card looks like
it has been tampered with in
any way, put it back.
+ Always ask the store
cashier to scan the gift card
in front of you. This will
guarantee that your card is
valid when you buy it and
that it reflects the balance
you placed on it.
» Always keep your re-
ceipt as a proof of purchase
as long as there is money
stored on the gift card.
» If possible, register
your gift card at the store’s
website.
» Never give your Social
Security number, date of
birth or any other unneeded
private information when
purchasing a gift card. No
reputable company will ask
for this information.
A handy reference for Kings Mountain area residents
Be a savvy
shopper this
holiday season
Avoid common problems
With the hustle and bus-
tle of the holiday season
upon us, Attorney General
Roy Cooper offers the fol-
lowing tips to help consum-
ers avoid common shopping
problems that come up
around this time of year.
“Giving gifts to others is
a huge part of holiday fra-
ditions for many families,”
Cooper said. “By taking
time to make smart deci-
sions you can avoid the un-
necessary stress of holiday
shopping mishaps.”
Buy from stores you
know. This will improve
the odds that you’ll be
able to return or exchange
a purchase. To check out
a company’s track record,
call the Attorney General’s
Consumer Protection Divi-
sion at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM
or contact your local Better
Business Bureau.
Shop safely online, too.
Stick to well-established
companies with secure web
sites (look for a lock icon on
the site and a web address
that starts with “https”). Get
the company’s street ad-
See SHOP SMART, Page 10B
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