CASSOPOLIS — The rush and good will that surround the holidays can increase opportunities for criminal activity.

This is a compilation of holiday safety information from across the nation to assist you in having a safe and happy holiday season.

• Be ALERT and AWARE of your surroundings. Pay attention to who is around you and what activities are happening.

Don’t leave the safety of a building or your vehicle until you have insured all is secure and safe.

Trust your instincts; if you feel uncomfortable with a place or person, get away.

•  Park in a well-lit area.

• Remember to lock your vehicle! Keep vehicle doors and windows locked while you are in it and especially when you are not!

Use anti-theft steering wheel clubs or locks as well. A thief is looking for easy targets and anything you can do to deter them from choosing your car, the better.

• Minimize the number of valuables left in your vehicle and keep valuables, electronics (including cell phones and DVDs), gifts and other “theft attractors” out of sight.

• Protect your purse or wallet and clean out any unnecessary items before leaving home.

Don’t carry large amounts of cash or extra credit cards.

Carry only those cards that you will need to use that day.

Keep a master list of all cards so if your wallet is stolen, they can be reported promptly to the appropriate banking facility.

• Never leave your purse, wallet or cell phone unattended in a public place.

• Don’t overburden yourself with packages while shopping.

• Shop with a buddy — there is safety in numbers.

• Role-play with children about what should happen in the event you are separated.

•  Have your keys out and ready when you return to your vehicle.

• Do not leave your car unattended with the motor running or with the keys in the ignition — even for the very short time needed to do a quick errand or pay for fuel.

• Only make online purchases from trusted, secure Web sites. Look for “https” in the Web address to verify security.

Beware these holiday scams

(Courtesy McAfee and Minyanville.com)

’Tis the season. The carolers are caroling. The shoppers are shopping. And the scammers are busily scamming away.

Attackers are still preying on shoppers looking for last-minute gifts and online deals.

And in the thick of all this holiday cheer, many good-willed citizens forget that there still are cyber attackers waiting to take advantage of our money, lack of time and abundance of good will.

More and more, holiday scammers are perfecting the art of the multi-faceted approach in their attack strategy — you’ll increasingly find approaches like broad e-mail blasts working in tandem with well-researched and acutely focused attacks.

And with more people than ever buying holiday gifts online, attackers are finding even more ways to be at the receiving end of their credit card purchases.

So zip up your purses and make sure your passwords are airtight before launching your holiday shopping trek this year.

Here’s what to watch this season. Ah, the holidays: a time of good will toward your fellow man — for some people.

For others, it’s an opportunity to grab all they can and get away while people’s defenses are down.

While you are looking for the perfect gifts, con artists will be looking for the perfect target.

This holiday season don’t get taken by these popular scams.

E-card greetings

An e-mailed greeting card looks like it’s from a reputable company, and you’re curious about who sent it. If you open the card in a burst of holiday cheer, you’ll get an error message saying the animation won’t work unless you download the latest software. Don’t do it.

The software is a Trojan horse that gives the sender complete access to your computer, including online banking, stock trading and taxes.

This scam is effective because after downloading the software, the animated e-card comes to life and your computer functions normally.

It may take weeks before you discover financial irregularities.

Solution: Don’t open an e-card or e-mail attachment from anyone you don’t know. Never download questionable software from the Internet. Always install the latest security updates from Microsoft or other software companies. Keep your virus protection up to date.

Phony sign-up table

ID thieves set up a table at a mall and urge passersby to sign up for a new credit card.

Many folks overspend during the holidays and another credit card, especially one with a low introductory rate, seems like a good idea.

But there’s a reason you’ve never head of the company offering the card — it doesn’t exist.

On the application for the phony card, you provide name, address, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, Social Security Number, driver’s license number — all the information a thief needs to steal your identity and destroy your credit by running up huge bills.

During the holiday season, mall security may not immediately know who has permission to set up a table. Those who haven’t been approved will be asked to leave and they’ll take all the vital credit information with them, no questions asked.

The scam can be pulled at swap meets, hobby shows, sporting events — you name it.

Fake credit card applications that arrive in the mail are a variation on the theme.

Solution: Apply for a credit card only through a bank.

Account information needed

If you get an e-mail asking you to confirm your ID and account number, some entrepreneur (and candidate for prison stripes) is fishing — or “phishing” in Internet lingo — for your credit information with intent to defraud.

This scam takes many forms and frequently shows up in e-mails purporting to be from your bank, credit card company, online stock trader or an online auction company.

Most notes say there’s been a security breech or a computer glitch and the company needs to double-check your information to be sure your account hasn’t been compromised. In short, the scammers say they’re helping you and dire consequences will befall you if you don’t respond immediately. A variation on the theme uses a toll-free phone number.

Solution: Don’t respond and delete the note.

Would you give your financial information to a stranger on the street? Not likely.