Black Friday is one of the most popular shopping days of the year. More than one hundred million people leave their homes in search of a great deal. Thieves see this as an opportunity to take advantage of your empty house. These ten B Safe Black Friday safety tips will help keep you and your home protected. Please be advised that the CDC has classified in-person Black Friday shopping as a ‘higher-risk activity’.
Black Friday Safety Tips
1) Set the alarm on your security system before leaving your home and periodically check-in from a smartphone using your B-Connected app. A good rule of thumb is to check your security while stuck waiting in Black Friday’s long lines.
2) There is safety in numbers. Do not be the last one to leave the shopping center as the stores begin to close. Bring a shopping partner with you and agree on a place to meet in the event that you are separated.
3) Remember that no Black Friday deal is worth fighting for.
4) For those who will be shopping in the early hours of the morning or trying to scoop up a midnight deal, park in a well-lit area to prevent coming back to a smashed window, missing possessions or an unwanted confrontation.
5) Keep purses and wallets as close to you as possible. Purse snatchers and pickpockets use large holiday shopping crowds to their advantage. Do not leave bags unattended for any reason and keep your wallet in a front pocket.
6) Utilize a single debit or credit card instead of cash. Large amounts of money will attract unnecessary attention.
7) Make a note of where you parked. Parking lots can be especially dangerous during Black Friday and you run the risk of getting hit by a shopper who was more focused on a deal than the road in front of them.
8) Check the backseat before getting into your vehicle. Criminals take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers by waiting in their cars for a time to strike.
9) Break down any boxes from the gifts you bought and don’t place them in front of your home until trash day. Empty boxes during the holiday season are an advertisement to thieves.
10) Be careful about any deals you find on social media. Not every company has a high rating with the Better Business Bureau like B Safe. Scammers are looking to take advantage of shoppers and the “too good to be true” deal will turn out to be just that. Always look out for sales from companies that you trust and shop on secure sites. The lock in the top left-hand corner of your screen means that the website is safe.
Need the B-Connected app for your home before you go out? Give us a call at 800-432-3473 or request a quote.