How do you protect yourself while holiday shopping?

It’s the season of giving, but keep a close eye on your wallets and packages because there are those with bad intentions out there.

Consumers are expected to spend approximately $980 billion on online and in-store retail sales this holiday season. National Retail Federation.

Porch pirates are the most visible thieves, but scammers are ready to skim your cards or steal your information from sketchy websites.

Here’s how to protect your purchases and your bank account this holiday season.

Porch pirate guards

Porch pirates stole almost $16 billion worth of packages last year. According to SafewiseAn advisory group on security, theft and security trends. Although package theft appears to be decreasing, an estimated 120 million packages will be stolen from porches or porches this year.

There are many options to deter burglars, including a home security system. Many have become more affordable and easier to self-install.

If a camera isn’t in the budget, National Neighborhood Watch recommends buyers:

• Choose to have the package delivered to a locker that requires a special code to retrieve it.

• Set up package delivery notifications.

• If possible, have packages delivered to your workplace.

• Require signature for delivery.

• Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up the package.

Kart skimmers in Middle Tennessee

card skimmers The Secret Service warned earlier this year that it had become a popular method for stealing card information. A lot local law enforcement He made similar statements about devices across Middle Tennessee.

A. card skimmer It is a device that attaches to card readers in stores or ATMs. The device captures data from the magnetic stripe and chip on the credit or debit card.

More: Credit card calculators are on the rise in the Middle Tennessee region of the United States. What to know, how to avoid

The devices at ATMs are often different from those at convenience stores or convenience stores. ATM skimmers attach to the card slot, making it difficult to see from the outside. Skimmers elsewhere usually reside above the actual card reader but can capture pin numbers.

To protect yourself, authorities recommend touching card readers before inserting the card. Check for any loose parts, odd gaps, non-working or broken lights, raised tacks, or stickers in unusual places.

Be careful when shopping online

With the continued rise in online shopping, cybercriminals won’t be taking a vacation during the holiday season anytime soon.

“The holiday shopping season is a prime opportunity for malicious actors to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers through fake websites, malicious links, and even fake charities.” said the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The agency recommends multiple ways to protect yourself this season:

• Turn on two-factor authentication on your accounts for suspicious activity notifications.

• Update the software on the device you use for shopping to stay up to date with the latest security software.

• Think before you click on an unknown website or email link. This could be a phishing attempt.

‘Attention theft’ is on the rise

It’s easy to get overwhelmed during holiday shopping, but this is the perfect time for someone to steal your purse or wallet.

The Franklin Police Department recently released an announcement. Increase in “distraction thefts.”

“In these cases, one person is chatting with the shopper while another scammer steals the shopper’s wallet, which is usually in the shopping cart, from her purse,” the department said. “Credit cards in the wallet are quickly used in businesses in other areas.”

Franklin police emphasized the importance of:

• We continue to be careful in stores.

• Make sure your wallet or purse is always closed.

• Always keep your purse or purse in front of you.

This article first appeared in the Nashville Tennessean: Holiday shopping in Middle Tennessee: How to protect against theft?