infoTECH News

[December 09, 2009]

Travel and shop safely

Dec 01, 2009 (Marion Star and Mullins Enterprise - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- This past week, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, the South Carolina Highway Patrol offered travel safety tips for drivers. Those tips will remain very helpful as Christmas and New Year's Day are fast approaching.

The most important would have to be vehicle maintenance. You don't want to hit the road for several miles wondering what the check engine light is trying to warn you about.

Being prepared for roadway emergencies and a clear map of your route will be key with all of the traffic.

SCHP tips include making sure cell phones are fully charged, be mindful of traffic if changing a tire, pay close attention to roadway signs and speed limits, along with being patient and keeping a safe following distance.

In a moment's notice a driver's eyelids can get heavy so it is important to get plenty of rest before making that trip and be on the lookout during the night and early morning hours, a period when drunk driving collisions are greater.

To make sure you keep what's in you wallet, be careful of your surroundings when stopping at rest areas or gas stations. Do not leave wallets, purses or tech gadgets visible in the vehicle and be sure to take the keys and lock the doors at all times. More importantly, never leave children in a vehicle unattended.

Monday, Kathy Graham, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina, Inc. issued a press release on consumer spending tips.

"Identity theft can happen to you whether you're shopping online or shopping at the mall, making it critical that we all take specific steps to fight both low and high-tech ID thieves. Having your credit card numbers stolen or your computer maliciously hacked will put a damper on anyone's holiday cheer," Graham said.

Forty-four percent of holiday shoppers make purchases online and every year scammers devise online schemes to trick them into divulging personal information such as credit card numbers, the report said.

Online shoppers are encouraged to use organizations to confirm legitimacy of all "trust marks" and make purchases with a credit card. Also, only make payments on a secure site.

In-Store shoppers should keep personal items safe and secure to prevent pick pocketing. Also don't get bogged down with too many shopping bags.

Keep receipts in your wallet and review credit and debit card statements regularly.

Those most troubling scams come via email.

To protect your computer from hackers purchase an anti-virus software program and be wary of emails from retailers, banks or shipping businesses. Do not click on links or reply with information if contacted about an account. Instead contact the business directly to confirm the issue. For more advice on keeping your identity safe over the holidays, visit the Better Business Bureau website. (http://www.bbb.org) To see more of the Star & Enterprise or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.scnow.com/scp/community/star_and_enterprise/. Copyright (c) 2009, Marion Star and Mullins Enterprise, Marion, S.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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