Personal Security Tips

With our lives growing ever more public and criminals becoming increasingly savvy, it is all the more important to cultivate personal security practices in your day-to-day life. Establishing a general state of security around your person requires extra attention and mindfulness in your daily actions; however, by undertaking a diligent individual safety program, you can lower your chances of being a victim of theft, assault, or other crime in your home, on the street, or in cyberspace.
Vary Your Routines
Varying your daily routine is a relatively simple way of establishing greater personal security. By changing the times when you leave your house and return home, you make your home a less appealing target for would-be thieves. If you live nearby, try dropping by your house on your lunch break, or ask a family member or friend to come over sporadically. If this isn’t possible, one way to create the illusion that you are home is through the strategic use of automated timers that turn on lights or the television.
Record a Trick Message
A strategic answering machine message should never announce that you aren’t at home. Instead, your answering machine recording should begin with a hello in the same intonation that you would use to answer the phone if you were home, followed by a brief pause. Some criminals will place calls to determine whether a resident is home. This type of message is often enough to trick them, causing would-be thieves to hang up before hearing the remainder of the message.
Carry Wallets and Purses with Care
When out in public always carry your wallet in a front or inside pocket. If you carry a purse, do not wear it across your body. While this may seem like the safest way to carry a purse and guard against its theft, women are often injured when a purse is grabbed and they are unable to free themselves. It is much better to carry your purse tucked under your arm with the strap wrapped around it. If someone attempts to steal your purse, let go. It is better to have to cancel credit cards and get a new ID than to risk a more grave harm.
Stay Alert While Traveling
Do not sleep when using public transportation. While it may be tempting to close your eyes and rest while commuting back and forth to work, or especially while taking longer train or plane trips, a person sleeping in public is highly vulnerable to theft. Nap before longer travel so that you are awake and alert during the trip, or arrange travel so that you will have time to rest when you arrive at your destination. If you are traveling with friends or family, take turns sleeping, or bring activities to keep everyone engaged and awake.
Change Passwords Frequently
It can be hard to remember all the sign-ins and passwords needed for various websites, making it tempting to standardize your log-ins and passwords, using the same ones for most or all of your online life. This puts you at a much higher risk of identity theft. It is important to vary your sign-ins and especially your passwords, and to change passwords regularly. If you write down sign-in information, store usernames and passwords separately.
For more information on personal safety systems, panic alarms and intruder alarms, contact All Secured today!