Fighting the holiday grinches

Authorities warn about holiday crime, scams

By MEGAN STRICKLAND

Special to the Valley Press

The holiday season is one that brings out acts of generosity and goodness, but it can also be a prime time for grinches who take advantage of the season, local authorities warn.

“They kind of love the holidays as much as everyone else,” Flathead County Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Bruyer said. “It’s an opportune time for crime.”

Holiday trips, outings to Christmas parties and parades might be a holly jolly time for the attendants, but for criminals, large gatherings offer opportunities for picking pockets or burglarizing homes.

Bruyer had some tips to avoid being victimized, namely keeping wrapped packages out of sight so burglars aren’t tempted.

“If people are traveling or out for the evening, I recommend turning on lights so it gives the appearance that somebody’s home,” Bruyer added.

He also suggests wallets be placed on the inside pockets of jackets. While shopping, he suggests packages should go in the trunk of vehicle where they can’t be seen. Parking in a well-lit area can also help deter thefts from cars. Bruyer says chip cards can help limit losses, as well.

If a holiday charity asking for donations seems too pushy or too good to be true, Bruyer says to ask for a tax identification number.

Once gifts are unwrapped, Bruyer recommends breaking down boxes instead of leaving them on the side of the curb.

“You are kind of advertising what you have in your house and that lets people know ‘oh, you’ve got a big screen TV,’” Bruyer said.

New valuable items should also be photographed or have their serial numbers documented in case of theft.

“Oftentimes, people don’t have those things and it makes it really difficult to recover those items,” Bruyer said.

Mailboxes are also prime candidates for thefts. Bruyer said money orders and cashier’s checks are best for mail because they can be tracked.

WHEN PEOPLE travel, Bruyer said he recommends having a the standard Montana winter car safety kit that includes sandbags, a shovel, food, water and other supplies. Making travel plans and letting someone know where you are traveling and your estimated arrival time is also a good way to help get quicker response if something goes awry, Bruyer noted.

Most emergencies handled during the holiday season come under the purview of local fire departments, as people in a hurry to celebrate are careless with candles or forget about stoves or other items that can cause fires.

Kalispell Fire Chief Dave Dedman said most calls handled during the season include slips and falls, but Christmas tree fires aren’t uncommon.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2010 and 2014, there were an average of 210 structure fires per year that started from a Christmas tree. Those blazes claimed an average of six deaths, 16 injuries and $16.2 million in property damage each year.

Dedman recommends making sure flames are kept a sufficient distance away from trees and other flammables.

Watering the Christmas tree, if it is a cut tree, is important Dedman said.

He gave an example of a video put together by the U.S. Fire Administration, in which two nearly identical trees, one with 100 percent water content in its needles, and another with less than 10 percent water needle content are both lit on fire. The unwatered tree immediately goes up in intense flames and is nothing but a pile of ashen twigs after less than two minutes. It is difficult to notice that the watered tree is burning at all at the same time.

“Just that little action can create that much more safety,” Dedman said.

The Montana Attorney General’s Office also issued the following warning about scams it commonly sees in the holiday season:

n Scam Smartphone/Tablet Apps — Apps are the latest technology being harnessed by scammers to steal personal information from consumers. Some of these scam apps, often offered for free and through alternative app marketplaces, are disguised to look like games, payment services, or department store shopping apps. In reality, they download malware onto the user’s device that steals usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and more.

The best advice before downloading an app includes reading multiple reviews about the app, and remembering that many large companies have links to their apps from their official websites. Following these links to download an app guarantees the consumer is getting the real app and not a scam app designed to look legitimate.

n Social media “Gift Exchange” posts — These scams are prolific on Facebook and other social media sites this time of year and go by many different names, such as the “Secret Sister Gift Exchange,” the “#LoveMatters Gift Exchange,” and more. This scam promises that by sending just one present, participants can get up to 36 back through a chain-letter type process. However, not only is this considered a gifting pyramid scheme where the people who join in later are unlikely to receive anything in return, it’s also illegal under the Postal Lottery Statute. Additionally, it’s inadvisable to add personal information, such as a home address, to a list that will be shared with strangers. While the people who post these “gift exchange” invitations on their social media pages may not intend to be exposing their friends to a scam, the truth is they have no control over who obtains the list of names and addresses as the group proliferates.

The best advice for those who want to spread the cheer this time of year is to participate in a gift exchange with friends and family, contacting all participants by phone to set it up.

n “Free” trials — Some online ads lure consumers in with the promise of “free samples” or “free trials” that require the customer only pay for the shipping of the product. However, somewhere in the ad’s fine print, it states that the customer will be automatically signed up for a membership or recurring purchase of the service or product unless they cancel within a designated period of time.

The best advice to avoid “free trial” pitfalls is to read the fine print before entering any payment information online to understand all applicable charges. Alternately, set a reminder to cancel the trial service or product shipment within the designated time period to avoid continued payments.

n To get updates on the latest scams affecting Montanans, sign up for free consumer alerts through the Montana Office of Consumer Protection. To report an attempted scam, use the office’s online reporting form. You can also speak with an investigator by calling 800-481-6896 or 406-444-4500.

For more information, visit https://dojmt.gov/consumer/ or call your local law enforcement agency.