Cautions for Shopping in the Holidays

The winter holiday season is almost upon us and is invariably a busy time of the year for everyone including crooks. Many are caught up in the particulars of their holiday preparations and shopping. Holiday shoppers are running from store to store often carrying large amounts of money and loaded down with packages. Sorry to say crooks will also be out looking for their next victim. The holiday season is not the time to let your guard down. Becoming the unfortunate victim of a crime can certainly destroy anyone's Christmas cheer.

The FBI reports that criminal activity increases during December. Crimes such as burglaries, muggings, car thefts, robberies, pick pocketing, credit card scams, etc. It's important that you shouldn’t forget about all the safety precautions you are normally mindful of while caught up in the excitement and anticipation of Christmas. Criminals will be on the look out for someone they can catch off guard.

The day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the shopping season for the holidays. As you begin that holiday shopping, you might want some advice on how to avoid becoming an easy mark for criminals. Don't forget these tips are relevant at other times of the year too.

PARKING LOT SAFETY

Trying to stay safe while you are shopping for Christmas can be a little difficult. Often they don't think about that and aren't very picky about where they park. Because parking lots fill up quickly this time of year, it might be harder to find a good parking spot. Look for one that has plenty of light and lots of pedestrian traffic around. When you leave your car and make sure to lock it. Look around to familiarize yourself with the area. Note what row you parked in and the spot number too. This will make it easier to find your car when you return.

Take a companion along when you shop. This will lessen your chances of being targeted by an attacker or mugger. If you have no choice but to shop alone, then try to walk with other shoppers through the parking lot.

SHOPPING MALL SAFETY

While shopping inside you’d better avoid dark hallways and stockrooms, especially at closing time. Don't use a bathroom facility that is located in a back passageway. It is best to use one near the food court or other high traffic area of the mall.

Be constantly guarded and vigilant as you move through crowds. Look out for people you do not know who deliberately bumps, jostles or gets too close as these may be diversions for pickpockets who try to steal your wallet. While you are at it, you might want to keep a close eye on your shipping bags and other personal property too. Always keep your purse close by. Never leave it unattended in the shopping cart.

It's not a good idea to keep your wallet, credit cards, or cash in your back pocket or a backpack. These are places pickpockets find it easy to get at without being noticed. As an alternative, carry them in your front pockets.

Abiding by the safety advice outlined above will help your holiday season to be a merry one. However, many people may think it’s not a safe way to shop outside. Instead of it, they prefer online shopping, such as DinoDirect.com. Well, online shopping is indeed a better choice for most people, not only because of its more safe shopping way, but its larger discount which you can’t get in the local shop.