Protect Yourself From Porch Pirates

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During the holiday season, many online gift orders end up sitting in plain sight on doorsteps and porches, providing an ideal opportunity for “porch pirates” to strike. As online shopping has surged, so have reports of stolen deliveries. SafeWise, a home security and safety review website, estimates roughly 250,000 package thefts occur every day in the United States, resulting in about $15 billion in losses over the past year.

Here are steps that can help protect you:

• Before you pay online, check to see if your method of payment (bank credit or debit cards, or online payment systems like Venmo or PayPal) offer “purchase protection.”
• Insure your purchases for the full amount of the item with the seller and/or the carrier shipping the package. But also ask if that insurance covers the package after drop-off at your doorstep.
• Take advantage of delivery service email or text delivery alerts on your smartphone and try to have someone at home to receive the package if you know when it’s going to be delivered.
• Consider having packages delivered to an alternate location, such as your workplace or a parcel locker, or connect with trusted neighbors and plan to sign for and receive each other’s packages when the other is not at home. Install a security camera system at your front door. It may not prevent a theft, but clear video footage can help support a police report or insurance claim.

What to do if a package is stolen:

• Confirm the package was delivered, then check with neighbors and look around your entryway in case it was placed out of sight.
• Keep receipts, tracking information, delivery confirmation, and any
• documentation related to the item.
• If your package is confirmed stolen, contact the retailer to report the issue. Many offer refunds or replacement items depending on their policies.
• File a report with the shipping company. Carriers such as USPS, UPS, and FedEx each have established processes for handling lost or stolen packages.
• The credit card you used to buy the item may have Purchase Protection. If the item was purchased entirely by that credit card, and the card issuer is alerted within a specified timeframe, you may be reimbursed for the stolen package. Just make sure to review your credit card company’s Purchase Protection policy to familiarize yourself with any exclusions that may apply.

Source: NW Insurance Council