Read more: Local, Crime, Community, Automotive, Consumer, Fraud, Credit, Burglary, Rob, Crime, Steal, Stole, Car, Vehicle, Trunk, Purse, Wallet, Holiday, Christmas
TOLEDO, OH -- Break-ins and robberies go up this time of year: it gets darker earlier, many are loaded with new purchases and some unknowingly make themselves easy targets of crime.
So how can you avoid becoming a victim and what do you do if you are?
Toledo Police have reacted to many robberies this holiday season and they say that is not because good people have fallen on hard times.
"This whole thing about them wanting to give gifts... It's not like a Jimmy Stewart movie where they're stealing to give to their children. These people have drug habits all year long. It's just an opportunity, it's easy," said Toledo Police Captain Ray Carroll.
And consumers often make it easy by leaving shopping bags and valuables in vehicles... even out of sight in trunks.
"If you throw a bunch of Christmas gifts in the car and you just walk right back into the mall, if somebody saw you, then it's easy pickings," said Carroll. "But if you jump in your car, act like you're leaving and just drive-- they're not going to follow you around to the other side of the mall-- just go park somewhere else."
The experts at Community Credit Counseling say even if you do fall victim to one of these crimes, particularly if your wallet or purse is stolen, you can prepare ahead of time to make sure the impact is less painful.
"One of those is obviously keeping a list somewhere safe in a locked file, usually on your computer, of all of your account numbers, expiration dates, etc. so that if it does happen you have a record of it because if you don't have your card you need to know where to call," said Dona Graves.
If your personal items are stolen, after you call creditors and banks, put a fraud alert on your entire credit.
"You've probably seen these companies that advertise on TV that they can do that for you which there is absolutely no need to pay anyone to do that because you can do it yourself," said Graves. "So that's a good thing to have on there at all times. If everyone did that there would never be identity theft."
Graves also says you should never keep your social security card in your wallet but she estimates 75% of Americans do. So if that is you... take it out right now and put it in a safe place.
You only need to contact one of the three companies to put a free 90-day fraud alert on your credit. The company you alert will notify the other two. You can continue to renew the 90-day fraud alert infinitely. Having a fraud alert on your account means that creditors will be required to call you for permission before granting a new line of credit.
Click here to contact Equifax.
Click here to contact Experian.
Click here to contact TransUnion.
