While Driving
- Lock doors and roll up windows.
- Keep valuables out of sight.
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Never pick up strangers.
While Walking
- Stay alert in your surroundings -- make eye contact with everyone.
- Avoid isolated areas.
- Communicate confidence, be in control of the environment and show it.
- Walk with another person, if possible.
- Don't carry a lot of cash or valuables.
- Walk facing traffic.
When Biking or Jogging
- Go with a companion.
- Vary your route.
- Avoid isolated areas, especially after dark.
- Stay alert (leave your headphones at home).
When Answering Your Door
- Install a peephole.
- Never let a stranger in for ANY reason.
- Ask service people to show identification and telephone the company to verify service calls.
On the Telephone or Internet
- Don't give any information to strangers or "wrong number" callers.
- Never give your home address or personal information, especially your social security number, to persons on the telephone or in "chat rooms" on the Internet.
- Hang up on obscene callers or on people who won't identify themselves.
- If callers make threatening statements, contact police.
General Safety Rules While in Public Places
- Always approach your car or your home with your keys already in your hands.
- If you are suspicious of a person or circumstance, go immediately to a safe place.
- Carry your wallet in your front pocket or in an inside jacket to thwart pickpockets.
- To discourage purse-snatchers, hold your purse firmly and secure the clasp. Never leave your purse unattended (i.e., hanging on a restroom door, in a shopping cart, etc.)
Identity Theft
- Learn how to minimize your risk or recover from identity theft with the Federal Trade Commission's top guide.