Each year, "Black Friday" brings not only lots of deals for savvy shoppers, but also tales of violence--mobs trampling shoppers and store employees, fights,and robberies. So far for Black Friday 2015, reports include a fight at a Kentucky shopping mall, multiple brawls at Walmarts across the nation,and an assault at a Virginia Best Buy when a man refused to let a woman jump line and she attacked him with a chair.
You may also remember that in Oklahoma City on Black Friday 2013, a couple was robbed at gunpoint outside of Penn Square Mall as they buckled their sleepingtoddler into the car seat. The two robbers took the couple's car and $1400 in merchandise, leaving the family scared, but unharmed. Police arrestedone suspect in the case, but he was acquitted last March. The defense attorney for Ryan Justin Alexander said,"The evidence showed that the Oklahoma City police stopped investigating after they found a black man who somewhat fit the description. That�s whatthe jurors told us, that they wished law enforcement had done something to prove this was him rather than find a black man.�
In general, Black Friday shopping is relatively safe, but there has been deadly violence in the past: stampedes which killed employees, fatal shootings,and more. However, there are ways to shop safely on Black Friday, and the National Crime Prevention Council gives the following tips for keeping yourself safe while shoppingfor the holidays:
Shopping in Stores
- Do not buy more than you can carry. Plan ahead by taking a friend with you or asking a store employee to help you carry your packages to the car.
- Save all receipts. Print and save all confirmations from your online purchases. Start a file folder to keep all receipts together and to help you verifycredit card or bank statements as they come in.
- Don�t flash the cash. Consider alternate options to pay for your merchandise, such as onetime or multiuse disposable credit cards or money orders,including at online stores.
- Wait until asked by a cashier before taking out your credit card or checkbook. An enterprising thief would love to shoulder surf to get your accountinformation.
Walking to and From Your Car
- Be informed about your surroundings. Use the free mobile app available from AlertID� to receive alerts about registered sex offenders livingand working in the vicinity of your shopping venue.
- Deter pickpockets. Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet inside a coat or front trouser pocket.
- Have your keys in hand when approaching your vehicle. Check the back seat and around the car before getting in.
- Tell a security guard or store employee if you see an unattended bag or package. The same applies if you are using mass transit.
- Do not leave packages visible in your car. Lock them in the trunk, or if possible, take them directly home.
Shopping With Small Children
- If you are shopping with children, make a plan in case you are separated from each other.
- Select a central meeting place.
- Teach them to know they can ask mall personnel or store security employees if they need help.
- Have them memorize or keep your cell phone number handy.
- Keep up-to-date photos and accurate descriptions of each child electronically with AlertID�s My Family Wallet�. Shouldthey go missing, this information can be sent quickly to law enforcement when every moment counts.
For those who don't brave the Black Friday crowds, but instead shop the Cyber Monday sales from home, the NCPC offers the following online shopping safetytips:
- Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating your security software. Everyone�s computer should have anti-virus, anti-spywareand anti-spam software, as well as a good firewall installed.
- Keep your personal information private and your password secure. Do not respond to requests to �verify� your password or credit card informationunless you initiated the contact. Legitimate businesses will not contact you in this manner.
- Beware of �bargains� from companies with whom you are unfamiliar - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or �https� in the URL address.
- Shop with companies you know and trust. Check for background information if you plan to buy from a new or unfamiliar company.
- To avoid purchasing counterfeit products, carefully examine the products you want to buy for signs of missing information (manufacturing information,warranty, product codes, etc.), broken or missing safety seals, different or incomplete packaging, and subtle or obvious changes to a companylogo.
