4 Tips for Holiday Safety
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This content is brought to you by Travelers. The red umbrella of the logo shades the S in Travelers. Text, Protecting Your Deliveries From Porch Pirates.
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SPEAKER: Do you love the convenience of shopping online and having your purchases delivered to your front door? Sure. It's convenient. But if you're not home to receive them, your packages are vulnerable to thieves.
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A cartoon delivery van pulls up to a home and leaves. A woman stands in the doorway holding her new package. Next, a package sits on the stoop of the home. Reticles appear over the package and hands swipe it from the porch. An icon shows a figure of a man in a hat and sunglasses peering around behind a package.
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These porch pirates are on the lookout for easy targets, but you don't have to be one. Consider these tips to help foil porch pirates.
One, have packages delivered to a location where they can be received in person, like your office. Two, require a signature for delivery. It may cause some inconvenience, but it can provide peace of mind for high-value deliveries. Three, choose a specific delivery time when someone will be home to accept the package.
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A delivery van pulls up outside a building that reads, Office, and leaves. A hand writes a signature on a tablet touch screen. A pencil writes, 10 AM on a calendar.
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Four, instead of delivery, pick up your online purchase from a local merchant pickup location. Five, use mobile tracking options, such as shipping and delivery notifications, to keep tabs on your package.
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A wall of package lockers has a screen that reads, Package Pick-Up. A locker door opens, revealing packages. A person scrolls through a page that reads, Tracking, then Shipping, on their smartphone. A delivery truck drives on screen and a notification reads, Alert. Package Dropped Off.
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Six, check your front door frequently if you're expecting a package. But remember, the deliveries can be left at other locations around your home.
Seven, consider installing a smart camera or other monitoring technology. With just a few simple tactics, you can help fend off porch pirates and protect your home-delivered packages.
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The woman peers out the front door of the home. A package appears to the left of the stoop, and then to the right of the garage. A smart camera mounts to the side of the garage and a doorbell cam mounts near the front door. The red delivery van pulls up to the house. When it leaves, the woman stands in her doorway, holding her package. An open lock icon closes.
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Talk to your Travelers representative or independent agent today.
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Text, Travelers. Talk to your Travelers representative or independent agent today. Travelers dot com. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and its property casualty affiliates. One Tower Square, Hartford, CT 06183 This material does not amend, or otherwise affect, the provisions of any insurance policy issued by Travelers. It is not a representation that coverage does or does not exist for any particular claim or loss under any such policy. Coverage depends on the facts and circumstances involved in the claim or loss, all applicable policy provisions, and any applicable law.
The holiday season is a time to celebrate with friends and family, but the hectic pace can also make it a stressful time of year. The holidays can present increased risks, especially if you are on a quest for gifts. Overcrowded stores and an increase in online shopping offer greater opportunities for thieves to target your valuables.
Here are four tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
- Watch Out for Porch Pirates: As more consumers look to the web to make their holiday purchases, packages dropped off on front porches and stoops provide “porch pirates,” or thieves, with more opportunity to intercept home deliveries. When making a purchase online, take advantage of electronic delivery alerts and other protections to make sure your gifts are safely delivered – and received. It may also be helpful to instruct any delivery drivers to drop off packages in a safe location at a specific time, or opt to pick up any delivered items yourself from the nearest facility.
- Beware of Parking Lot Pilfering: While you are in the mall purchasing gifts for your friends and family, be careful if you decide to drop off items in your car mid-shopping trip. Purchases that you store in your car may catch the attention of thieves roaming through the parking lot in search of valuable items in unlocked cars. To help protect your car (and everything inside) from burglars during the holidays, shoppers should remember to always lock their doors, roll up their windows, park in well-lit areas and hide valuables from plain view.
- Protect Your Identity, Both Online and in Stores: Before you go shopping, think about how much information a thief would get his hands on if your wallet or purse was stolen. Taking steps to protect your personal information, particularly during the holiday season when many stores see an increase in foot traffic, is key to preventing identity theft. Carry only those credit cards you need and avoid carrying Social Security cards, birth certificates or passports unless absolutely necessary. When shopping online, be sure to only use secure websites, log off from a site after you have completed your purchase, and monitor your bank accounts and credit card activity regularly throughout the holidays.
- Travel Safely: Whether you are heading to the mall for some holiday shopping or traveling to Grandma’s for a holiday celebration, the holiday season brings a number of unique driving risks – from changing weather conditions to traveling on unfamiliar roads. By planning extra travel time and eliminating distractions, you can help ensure safe travels during the holidays.
