Going away for the holidays
Thieves are often on the look-out for homes that look empty, particularly during holiday times, as they know a lot of people go away.
Some advice:
Make your house look like someone is living in it. Don't close curtains and use automatic timer-switches to turn on your lights and radios when it goes dark
Cancel newspaper and milk deliveries
Avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details about your absence from home
Lock all windows and doors and use an alarm if you have one
Card fraud
Card Watch, managed by APACS - the UK payments association, explain the different ways in which you could become a victim of card fraud and how to protect yourself.
Fraud on credit and debit cards has a high cost to society as the proceeds are often used to fund serious organised crime, including drug trafficking and terrorism.
Although the financial cost of card fraud is largely borne by the banking industry, the personal cost in time, inconvenience and frustration while an incident is being investigated - being without cards, waiting for fraudulent expenditure to be reversed or offset, the sense of violation - is immeasurable.
Card Watch explains types of card fraud, where card fraud takes place and how it can be prevented.
Security advice by the Security Industry Authority (SIA)
A key part of securing your business is making sure you have the right security in place. The SIA outline what you can do to ensure that your business has trustworthy security in place.
Security for your business could include security guarding, door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit and CCTV for public places.
The SIA is the independent government body responsible for regulating the private security industry.
Advice: Read security advice by the SIA
SIA website: Visit the SIA's website