Seniors: Watch for the Holiday scams

How to protect yourself from the mall parking lots scams.

I’ve written several blogs on how seniors need to be prepared, but sometimes we forget and go on ‘automatic.’  Hey, it happens to me, too.

The holidays are no exception. My senior clients are bustling through the malls and shops – and they may be unaware of potential scams.

I’ve talked about scams, Internet and otherwise, but what about the scam in the mall parking lot? What about the people in the parking lot looking for the senior who is preoccupied with something, or maybe nothing, but just simply going through the motions of walking to the car?

Are they looking at their cell phone? Are they fiddling with their keys? Stuffing credit cards in their purse or wallet? Are they holding several packages around their arm?

Whatever they are doing, they are not looking—they’re not aware of their surroundings. Come on folks, there are some bad people out there looking for a vulnerable, easy target!

Take simple measures to protect yourself.

Do not park your car at the end of the parking lot. Park up front. If there is no space available, wait for it. If there is valet parking, use it. It’s worth the five or ten dollars so you don’t have walk to your car alone, especially in the dark.

Once you’re in the car, drive. Don’t stop and look at your e-mails, don’t get out of your car if there is a coupon in your windshield wipers and don’t talk to a stranger approaching your car.

Walk to your car like you mean business, get in your car lock it, and drive away. Go on automatic when you get home, but keep your “game on” the rest of the time.

There’s an old, and I mean old rock tune called, “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes”—it does, and it may be ‘watching you.’

Take my advice for what it is… It’s just, AS I SEE IT!