Experts warn of potential increase in porch pirates during the holiday shopping season

InvestigateTV - Porch pirates are known to strike throughout the year, but experts urged extra caution as holiday shopping leads to an increase in online purchases.

A study by LendingTree found that 35% of people surveyed had packages or deliveries stolen from their doorstep or mailbox, with most of these acts happening at single family homes.

Divya Sangameshwar with Lending Tree not only informs consumers about the threat of porch pirates, but she was a victim herself.

“They came right below the line of sight of my camera, and they just took it off the stairs,” Sangameshwar said.

Her experience underscored another finding of the study: security cameras don’t seem to deter porch pirates as 60% of people in the study who reported theft had security cameras.

There are ways to protect yourself. Lending Tree suggests:

• If possible, have purchases delivered to a brick-and-mortar store, where you must show ID or a receipt at pick up
• If allowed, consider having items shipped to your workplace
• Research retailers’ lost or stolen items policy before you buy
• Check your credit card’s policy on lost, stolen, or non-delivered items

If you have been a victim of porch piracy, Lending Tree has a step-by-step guide for how to seek recourse.

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