Ask Asa: Covid-19 sparks holiday delivery theft
Thieves can always ruin the joy and anticipation of the holidays. This season is worse than usual because consumers are struggling with pandemic-driven crime.
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Updated: 9:41 AM EST Dec 10, 2020
Asa Aarons Smith
Ask Asa: Covid-19 sparks holiday delivery theft
Thieves can always ruin the joy and anticipation of the holidays. This season is worse than usual because consumers are struggling with pandemic-driven crime.
Share
Updated: 9:41 AM EST Dec 10, 2020
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THERE WILL BE-- NO-- SWIMMING THIS YEAR. THIEVES CAN EASILY RUIN THE JOY AND ANTICIPATION OF THE HOLIDAYS. BUT THIS SEASON IS WORSE THAN USUAL BECAUSE CONSUMERS ARE STRUGGLING WITH-- LOTS--OF---PAN- DEMIC-DRIVEN-- CRIME. CONSUMER REPORTER ASA AARONS SMITH EXPLAINS. (ASA PACKAGE) (ASA/ATC) THEY ARE AS UBIQUITOUS AS GREMLINS - AND MEANER THAN THE GRINCH. THE NAME PORCH PIRATES CAUGHT ON A FEW YEARS AGO TO LABEL THIEVES WHO GO AFTER RECENTLY DELIVERED PACKAGES. THIS YEAR, THE PANDEMIC HAS SPAWNED AN INCREASE IN PACKAGE DELIVERY - CREATING A BONANZA FOR THIEVES. DOOR CAMS, LOCK BOXES, AND DECOY PACKAGES FILLED WITH USED KITTY LITTER HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN SINKING SOME PORCH PIRATES. BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PREVENT THEFT, FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THE LATE FRED RODGERS - AND JUST BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. (SOT FULL) TOM ALSOP/BEAUFORT (00:33) "WE CAN SEE OUR NEIGHBORS PORCH FROM OUR KITCHEN WINDOWS. SO A LOT OF TIMES, WE'LL TEXT THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE A PACKAGE." (SOT FULL) WILLIAM AND CAROL STRUNK /BEAUFORT :19 SPEAKER 1: (00:19) "WE GET PACKAGES LEFT FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE ON OUR STREET SOMETIMES, AND I HAVE TO DELIVER THEM. AND JUST NOW I NOTICED THERE'S A PACKAGE ON A VACANT HOUSE AND SHE'S MOVED OVER HERE. YEAH. BUT THERE'S A PACKAGE ON THE EMPTY HOUSE'S DOORWAY, YOU KNOW? SO, YOU KEEP A WATCH OUT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE." (00:38) "YEAH, YEAH, YEAH." (ASA/STAND UP BRIDGE) 1:21 PORCH PIRATES. I'VE NEVER LIKED THAT NAME BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING SWASHBUCKLING OR GLAMOROUS ABOUT PETTY THEFT. THERE COULD BE A FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED CROOK PUTTING TENTACLES IN YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW. (SOT FULL) BAILEY PARKER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS SPEAKER 3: (10:19) "ANOTHER THING YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN IT COMES TO PACKAGES IS NOW SCAMMERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE TRACKING NUMBERS. SO THEY'RE SENDING PRETTY LEGITIMATE-LOOKING EMAILS OR TEXT MESSAGES THAT SAY YOUR PACKAGE IS ON THE WAY. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS, OR CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT THE TRACKING INFORMATION. AND IF THE LIKELIHOOD OF YOU HAVING ORDERED SOMETHING ONLINE THAT YOU'RE WAITING FOR IN THE MAIL IS PROBABLY PRETTY HIGH. YOU'RE GOING TO CLICK ON THAT LINK IF YOU'RE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT. AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE IS YOU'RE GOING TO BE SENT TO A WEBSITE (BUTT WITH) SPEAKER 3: (10:58) THAT'S GOING TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU TO A SITE THAT'S GOING TO DOWNLOAD SOME TYPE OF MALWARE ONTO YOUR DEVICE. SO EITHER WAY, IT'S A BAD IDEA TO RANDOMLY CLICK ON LINKS THAT YOU RECEIVED." ASA /ATC) IN MY NEXT REPORT, I'LL TELL YOU HOW COVID-19 HAS TURNED DECEPTIVE ONLINE SHOPPING SITES INTO THE SCAM OF THE YEAR. I'M CONSUMER REPORTER ASA AARONS SMITH FOR NEWS 22 WJCL. REMEMBER---- IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR ASA- -