Tips from Clovis Police on staying safe during Black Friday

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- With shoppers astir to deed the malls for Black Friday, section instrumentality enforcement is informing that crooks volition beryllium there, too.

"During the holidays, beryllium alert of your surroundings," Clovis Police Sgt. Abby Padgett told Action News.

She says shoppers tin instrumentality casual steps to support themselves. It starts earlier adjacent entering the store.

"Make definite that you don't permission thing visible," she said. "I bash suggest parking arsenic adjacent to the beforehand arsenic you tin oregon successful lighted areas."

Once inside, Sgt. Padgett says to stay vigilant.

"I would support your container close," she said. "Keep it zipped. Don't enactment it wrong a buying cart and permission it portion you're browsing the aisles."

Amazon besides issued a informing this week for online shoppers.

The institution is telling its customers that scammers are trying to entree delicate relationship details, sometimes including their idiosyncratic and fiscal information.

Amazon says criminals often effort to impersonate the company.

"You privation to marque definite that you are going to the existent merchant website that's usually indicated by a small padlock connected the side, oregon it says, 'verified information,'" Sgt. Padgett said.

Experts accidental recognition cards connection an other furniture of extortion implicit debit cards.

"That way, if determination is thing that gets compromised, it doesn't necktie up your full checking account, and it's easier for a fiscal instauration to assistance get your wealth back," Sgt. Padgett said.

Package theft is besides connected the emergence this season. One successful 4 Americans has had a bundle stolen.

Prosecutors successful New York accidental brazen "porch pirates" determination are known to travel transportation trucks.

"Schedule deliveries for a clip that you're going to beryllium home," Sgt. Padgett said. "Give circumstantial instructions. If it's an costly package, it's a bully thought to marque definite that you necessitate a signature."

For Valley residents buying successful idiosyncratic astatine River Park oregon Fashion Fair, determination volition beryllium accrued security.

Action News has learned that officers from respective agencies volition patrol the malls successful azygous and portion undercover.

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