RTC's Business Communicator for Winter 2018

WINTER 2018 7 Watch Out for These Holiday Scams The Better Business Bureau warns con- sumers to beware of the following: • Fake shipping notifications: Scammers send emails pretending to be from companies like UPS or FedEx with links to package tracking information. Don’t click on any links or open any attachments coming from a questionable source (typos and grammatical mistakes are red flags). • Phony charities: Scammers take advantage of the holiday spirit of generosity with fake charity solicita- tions in emails and on social media. Check out charities at give.org before donating. • Temporary holiday jobs: Retailers and delivery services need extra help at the holidays, but beware of solicitations requiring you to share personal information or pay for a job lead. Apply in person or go to retailers’ main websites. • Free gift cards: Pop-up ads or email offering free gift cards are often just a ploy to get your personal information for identity theft. • Social media gift exchange: It sounds great—buy one gift and get 36 in return. But it’s a variation on an illegal pyramid scheme. RTC wants you to have a happy, scam-free holiday. Most Have Packages Delivered to Your Workplace This is arguably one of the safest options, since packages will be brought inside the business rather than being left outside your home. Require Signature on Delivery To prevent your package being stolen off the front porch or home exterior location, ask the delivery company for signature-required delivery. That way, if the delivery person does not follow protocol and leaves the package without obtaining your signature first, you may be entitled to a full refund or replace- ment if the package is stolen. Place a Vacation Hold on Packages In addition to putting a hold on your mail from the United States Postal Service, you can also place a hold on packages with delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS and have them keep your pack- ages at their terminals or delivery centers until you return home. Sign Up for Delivery Alerts Many delivery companies offer text or email alerts giving you the expected delivery date as well as a message telling you that the delivery was made. If you aren’t home when the delivery arrives, you at least have the opportunity to get home quickly and retrieve your package or ask a neighbor you trust to do it for you. Install Security Cameras Visible security cameras can serve as a deterrent and help to prevent packages from being stolen from front porches. Should a theft still occur, the surveillance footage can be made public by police to assist them in the process of identifying, finding, and charging the thieves. Prevent Packages fromGetting Stolen at Your Front Door According to a news report from USA Today, nearly one-third of Americans have had packages stolen from their front porch by brazen thieves. How can you help avoid this type of theft from happening to you? Consider the strategies below: RTC sells and installs Samsung Cameras for indoor and outdoor use, which can help youmonitor your home. There are several NVR (Network Video Recorder) recording settings and storage options to provide live streaming video that’s viewable from any internet- connected device for real on-the-go peace of mind.