Be On The Safe Side
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Don’t become a victim on holidays!
Soon there will be a chill in the air, bells will be ringing ,and we will all be running around like crazy getting ready for the holidays. No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or do your own thing we are all busy, busy people tend to be careless people, and careless people are just waiting to be a victim of “Crimes of Opportunity” What is that? Well there are three main types of crimes: Crime of Passion, Crime of Hate, and Crime of Opportunity. You can pretty much figure out what the first two are. Unless you have made an ex-lover or someone else really mad, you are most likely to become the victim of a “Crime of Opportunity” It is just like it sounds, the bad guy sees an opportunity and grabs it. So before you start your “Holiday To Do” list, read my “Holiday Must Do” list to avoid being a victim of a Crime of Opportunity:
“Holiday Must Do” list
° First off all, ladies PLEASE do not put your purse in the baby seat of the shopping cart then turn your back to it while you compare prices or look at the contents of what ever you are buying. By the time you realize your purse is gone, the bad guy not only has whatever cash you had, but your credit cards, your car keys and knows where you live. ALWAYS keep your purse over your shoulder, preferably across your chest. I know this is not the fashion statement that you want to make, but it is the safest way. And gentlemen, a good pick pocket can relieve you of the wallet you put in your back pack. In a crowded mall, the best thing is to wear a money belt under your clothes or put your cash and credit card in the inside pocket of your jacket.
° If you plan to buy a lot at one mall, do not make several trips to your car to drop off packages. If you must unload, bring a blanket to throw over the packages to conceal them. When you are walking through a parking lot have your hands full of packages you are very venerable. Go with a family member or a friend…it is more fun that say and,as they say, there is safety in numbers.
° You might start your shopping venture in day light, but remember as the year goes on, night comes earlier and earlier. Make sure you park under or very near good lighting.
° Always look to see who is around you when you are going to your vehicle. If someone looks out of place, return to the store and alert security…that is what they are there for.
° When you are returning to your car PLEASE have your keys in hand. (They can be used as a weapon if necessary)The man or woman who is fumbling around is an easy target. .
° When you are shopping don’t wear a bunch of expensive looking jewelry or flash a lot of cash…that is like saying, “Hey I am rich, rob me!” Take only one credit card and as little cash as possible.
° I you should be the victim, let the bad guy have the packages or purse, they can be replaced-you can’t. Even though you are scared try to remember what the guy looks like-the color of his hair, eyes, height, weight, what he was wearing and the direction of travel he took. The more detail you can provide the police the better. That said, keep your cell phone in your pocket that way you can call 911 right away.
What about at home?
° Having wrapped presents under the tree is exciting, true. Just make sure they are where anyone who looks into your window can’t see them…talk about a crime of opportunity.
° If you are giving a gift with a serial number, record it and keep it in a safe place. This increases your chances of getting the merchandise back.
° Going “Over the river and through the woods” to visit family or friends? Great! Just make sure your house or apartment looks occupied. Place lights and a radio on a timer, stop mail and newspaper delivery, or better yet hire a house sitter. The one room that can be occupied 24/7 is the BATHROOM. If your bathroom has a window, how about putting a lamp on a timer? That way any bad guy that may be checking your house or apartment out won’t know if our are coming or going.
° Got a party or two planned? Offer plenty of food, but you know there are still a few that will allow themselves to be “over served” Please make sure you have a designated drivers available or make arrangements with a cab company so your guest can get home safely..
° This time of year candles can be lovely, not to mention romantic. Please take care with pets or small children. Don’t forget to have your furnace and fire placed clean before the weather gets cold…carbon monoxide is a sneaky killer.
Yep, the holidays are a busy and fun time. Time for family and friends, good food and wine, and just a touch of common sense.
All of us a Confadate wish you and yours a Happy and Safe Holiday season, and look forward to serving you in 2009.
About the author:
Sandy is as retired police detective and certified fire fighter. She is now is a licensed private investigator specializing in safety training for men and women.
If you have any questions or wish to make a comment, please contact her at Confadate.
Sandy Glover, President
Gold Shield Legal Investigations, Inc.
67 Kent Drive
Ormond Beach, Florida 32176
386.295.6558
NALI,FALI,FAPI,NCISS
Creator of www.Confadate.com
Things You Should Know To Build A Successful Online Dating Profile
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So you’ve decided to join one of the online dating services. Great! Lots of people today use the opportunities of online dating to find their half.
Well, if the theatre begins with a hanger, than online dating begins with a profile. With your profile. I mean, you can of course just surf other people’s profile and write to them without telling much about yourself in you own profile.
Your profile is an extremely (if not the most) important thing in online dating. Here I’ll give some advice on how to create an effective profile making your message inbox to burst with incoming messages.
Hardly anybody would be interested in a person who didn’t even try to write anything about what kind of person he is and it’s always more fun to receive messages with offers to meet and get acquainted. So let’s get started writing a successful online dating service profile that will attract attention!
1. Maybe the most important thing is being honest. Do not lie about your most obvious features: weight, height, social status, hair color and so on. The only feeling a person feels when he realizes he’d just been deceived is aggravation. You would want to count on any kind of continuation of communication.
2. Create a creative screen name. Maybe something about your personality will do or something about interests. Choose something that describes you in a best way.
3. While creating your screen name the main thing is to avoid being usual and boring. Be unique! How many “You may be the one I’m looking for” and “Looking to meet new people” you’ve seen? Use bright and ingenious words that are descriptive.
4. Don’t be afraid to stand out against the rest. Many people tend not to stand out in any way. Well, in internet it is unacceptable. Simply Nobody will notice you. Like Tchaikovsky, play blues, collecting coins? Tell about it! And besides you will surely find people with the same interests as you.
5. Describe yourself not just fully but also correctly. In the end, you are looking for a person that really matches you in all ways, not with fake interests and traits of character that you made up.
6. Don’t try to make up a perfect person which you want to seem. In a long-term period you simply won’t be capable to act all the time. Just be your best self.
7. Try to change you header message and photo often. Don’t be afraid to experiment. This will keep your profile fresh and keep people interested in you.
8. Don’t be negative in any way! Nobody wants to chat with a person who always has troubles at work, who thinks that life sucks, who is always disappointed. Instead be positive! Remember that being positive and fun is like a magnet.
Tips to date with confidence
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Thousands of men and women enjoy the services of an online dating provider. Thankfully many end up in the “Happily Ever After” category, some the “No way“, and unfortunately, some in the “Tragic mistakes“. It is no secret that there are identity thief’s and sexual predators lurking on the Internet. Well, let them lurk. I’m going to give you some pointers on how NOT to become any body’s victim.
I first mentioned the Identity thief, why is this so important? Glad you ask. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report last year that stated in 2005, over 8.3 million Americans had their identity stolen. All it takes is your name, your Social Security Number, or date of birth for them to make your life miserable. Often the thief will sell your information to the highest bidder now many perpetrators can make your life miserable. Therefore, in your dating profile, do not put your real name (make up a catchy nickname) do not include any personal information such as your date of birth (including your “Sign“). Leave out your address (the state is O.K) or where you work. Beware of innocent leading questions such as, “I really want to know your birthday so I can send you a card or flowers.” Your personal information is no body’s business. Most (if not all ) of the dating provider web sites has a place to report abuse. Contact them if your feel you are being pressured to give out personal information.
If you decide to meet someone that you have been communicating with, arrange to meet him (or her) in a public place that you feel comfortable and safe being in. Always provide your own transportation to the date site. This puts you in charge of when you leave, and if this date is falling on the “NO WAY” category, this is a good thing. It goes without saying, do not get into this person’s vehicle or agree to go to their home until after you have gotten to know this person very well.
Tell a family member or a friend of the date arrangements (date, time, place). Ask them to call your cell (or send a text) 45 minuets to an hour after you are to meet this person. This is not only for safety reasons but can give you an excuse to end the date early if you so choose.
Getting a “pre-date” background check done before the date, just to make sure this person is not a criminal or a sexual predator, maybe a good idea. You can find dozens of “information vendor” sites on the Internet, but you must be careful, there are laws that apply to what you can and cannot access when checking into someones background. To avoid the tables being turned against you, I suggest using a licensed private investigator or a licensed background screening company. I will leave it to you to decide what techniques you use to get the information you need to do a “pre-date” check, but being honest is probably the best.
Gentlemen, while your guys probably will not fall victim to a sexual predator, you can have your identity stolen very easly if you are not careful. When ever possible use cash when paying for dinner or drinks( and no it is not a good idea for your to flash a wad of bills around to impress your date) If you must use a credit card, you hand it to the waiter, you sign the receipt, and you accept the approved copy for your records..don’t leave this priceless bit of information laying around for just anybody to copy. Remember a identity thief only needs one of the following: your date of birth, your name, or your social security number and your identity belongs to someone else.
Searching the internet to find someone who you can enjoy a relationship with is fun and exciting, and if you follow these easy steps and use your good common sence, you will have lots of excitement.
About the author:
Sandy is a retired police detective from the Metro-Atlanta area. She is not a licensed private investigator and owns her own agency that specializes in background checks for many occasions.