It’s National Package Protection Day: How to make sure no one steals your holiday loot

By Zlati Meyer

The 2021 holiday gift buying season has begun and now, it’s time to start seeing those holiday purchases delivered.

But shoppers aren’t the only ones who know Americans want their Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa presents now. Thieves are gearing up for their annual bonanza season.

To remind consumers of one of the perils of online shopping, welcome to National Package Protection Day, also known as the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

Throngs of people made online purchases over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday period, according to National Retail Federation data released (December 12, 2021). The breakdown is 36.2 million on Thanksgiving day, 88 million on Black Friday, 56.4 million on Saturday (dubbed “Small Business Saturday” by American Express), 39.3 million on Sunday, and 77 million on Cyber Monday.

As you wait for those packages, here are some expert tips to keep porch pirates away:

  • Use the tracking services retailers and delivery services offer to know exactly when the merchandise you ordered will arrive.
  • Once they’re delivered, don’t leave packages unattended.
  • When offered, opt for signature-required delivery to ensure you get the goods handed off directly to you.
  • Consider having packages delivered to a store or other secure location, so they’re not laying on your porch or in your building’s lobby unsupervised.
  • If you’re not working from home, ask your boss about having packages delivered to your office.

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