SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Police Department spoke about how to avoid common holiday pitfalls such as porch pirates, online scams and Facebook marketplace meetups gone wrong.
Get a unit to check in on your house
San Diego Police Department's Vacation House Check is available for people leaving their houses unoccupied for holiday travel. With staff permitting, Retired Senior Volunteers will check in on your home while away, but must be reserved a week in advance.
For more information, click here.
Shop with your credit card, not your debit card
While checking URLs before ordering something and shopping online on trustworthy sites is not novel to most, choosing to make the purchase with a credit card can be a safer option, as many have fraud and scam protections that debit cards might not possess.
Facebook marketplace safe meetup sites
If shopping secondhand or picking up a novel item for a loved one, the San Diego police have safe meetup sites for people looking to do exchanges in front of each substation. Each parking lot of each substation will have a Designated Online Transaction Space (D.O.T.S.), which is well-lit and surrounded by cameras. If something goes awry, you’re only feet from a police station’s front door.
Porch piracy
During this time of the year, porch pirates can be on the lookout for packages left behind. San Diego Police Department spokesperson Colin Steinbroner said keeping packages out on the porch for any amount of time is unsafe. Ordering a specific item to the store or choosing a pickup location could be safer this time of year, though less convenient.
“Pickup is a better option,” Steinbroner said. “Leaving [packages] out for any amount of time is just asking for trouble, unfortunately, these days.”
Steinbroner recommended that all porch pirates be reported to the police immediately, as the department is working on catching thieves, and any clue might be helpful to building a case.
