Emily’s Crime Watch – Tip #4

There are both positive and negative benefits for children using the Internet. The online world can offer children an experience that is both educational and rewarding, which can lead to a higher school performance and increase future job potential. Unfortunately, there is pornography and child predators lurking out there in the online world too.

Parents and guardians need to be vigilant about keeping children safe when they are using the Internet for browsing the Web, sending and receiving email, and using chat rooms.

Emily suggests a few things that parents and guardians can do to help ensure child safety on the Internet.

1.Become an Advocate:

Contact your local Internet Service Provider if you see any material (visual or written) or other practices that you don’t like that is made available to children on the Internet. Be proactive in what children are viewing and don’t be afraid to voice your concerns and opinions.

2.Stay Informed:

Keep yourself informed about parental control tools that can help to keep your child safe on the Internet. Be sure to know what the parental tools can and can’t do. Find out what children are learning and viewing through community and school Web sites.

3.Get Involved:

Spend time with your children when they are on the computer, whether it’s at home, the library, or any other computer center in your community. Take the time to play fun and educational games with your children. It’s important to be involved in your child’s online life and include them in your own online practices. This will be the best insurance for your child’s safety.

4.Learn about the Internet:

Learn everything you can about the Internet. If you’re a novice or a more skilled computer user, take advantage of learning more about the Internet at your local library, community center, or local training classes.

The bottom line is that the Internet has many positive aspects in learning, job training, and social networking. There are just a few things to be aware of so that your children can be safe and enjoy the online experience.

Emily wants all children to be safe and enjoy everything that the Internet has to offer.

Emily’s Crime Watch – Tip #3

Identity theft crime occurs when any individual acquires a piece of personal information without your knowledge and uses it to commit fraud at your expense. Identity theft crimes affected almost 10 million victims in 2008, which is an increase of 22% from the previous year. It has been estimated that 71% of fraud occurs within a week of stealing a victim’s personal information.

We are a society that takes advantage of the high-tech convenience of using the Internet for purchases, banking, loans, and social networking. With this convenience also comes a price for personal security, but there are simple safeguards that you can use everyday.

There are three common types of personal information that identity thieves look for to commit their fraudulent crimes that can ultimately ruin your credit.

1. Credit Cards
2. Phone or Utilities
3. Banking and Depository Accounts

The most common type of identity theft is credit card fraud that accounts for approximately 26% of all identity theft crimes. The identity thief opens a new credit card account in the victim’s name and uses the credit card for purchases or cash without ever paying the bill. The victim doesn’t realize that there’s a problem because the bills are sent to a new address. It is also common for the identity thief to call the credit card company to change the mailing address on the existing account. Again, the victim doesn’t realize that there’s a problem until it’s too late.

The second most common type of identity theft, which accounts for more than half the number of victims of credit card theft or approximately18%, is for phones or utilities. The identity thief signs up for cell phone service, telephone long distance service, or new utilities using the victim’s name.

The third most common category of identity theft, which accounts for more than a third of the number of victims of credit card theft or approximately 17%, involves banking and depository accounts. The identity thief opens a new bank account, makes electronic fund transfers, or writes bad checks all on the victim’s accounts. Loan fraud accounts for a small portion of depository accounts or approximately 5%, but is still an important category to list and to be aware of the potential risks.

Here are Emily’s top ten guidelines for keeping your identity safe:

1.Check your credit reports annually. If at all possible, check your credit reports monthly or quarterly.
2. Issue a fraud alert with each major reporting agency: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
3. If you purchase anything online, make certain that the website is encrypted and shows a small padlock icon at the bottom right-hand corner of your computer screen.
4. If you purchase anything online for a gift, make certain that the bill will not be sent along with the gift containing personal identification and credit card numbers.
5. Don’t toss any personal documents into the trash. Buy a shredder at your local office supply store and shred all of your documents, mail, or anything that would have your name, address, or other personal information on it.
6. Cut up all of your expired credit cards before discarding them into the trash.
7. If you expect a bill and it doesn’t arrive, notify the issuing company immediately.
8. If your credit card is lost or stolen, notify the police immediately to file a report and contact your credit card company.
9. Don’t leave your mail in the mailbox for the mail carrier to pick up. Always post your mail directly at the Post Office.
10. Never give out personal information online or to phone solicitors, such as your social security number or passwords.

Emily’s Crime Watch – Tip #2

Emily’s main driving force in Compulsion is to track down child abductors and child murderers in order to have them brought to justice. She feels that it’s most important to protect the innocent from the evil in society at all costs. This has cost Emily the opportunity of a normal life with a family of her own, but she feels it’s all worth it when she’s able to contribute to the safe return of a child.

It is absolutely imperative today that parents and guardians know all the resources to better safeguard children. It is important to stay alert, informed, and vigilant about all child safety issues and personal information.

According the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 40% of all child abductions were victims of opportunity.

Here are five basic tips about how to prevent a potential child abduction or kidnapping:

1. Teach your children to run away from danger. Explain to your children to run away from danger. If someone tries to grab them, tell them to make a scene by yelling and saying that this person is not their parent or guardian. If a car is following them, tell them to turn around and run the other way to another trusted adult.

2. Talk openly to your children about personal safety. It’s important to encourage your children to tell you or another trusted adult if someone ever makes them feel scared or uncomfortable. Discuss safety issues with them. Pay attention and listen to your children. Make your children a part of securing your home, such as with alarms, locks, lighting, and have a family plan in case of an emergency.

3. Be alert and aware to your surroundings. Prepare your children with “what if” scenarios so that they’re well prepared in case of an emergency. Design and teach them “escape routes” in different emergencies. Also, know how to reach the nearest local law enforcement agency.

4. Take steps to secure personal information. Be private and discreet about your family’s personal habits and information. Consider opening a post office box, if you don’t already have one, and registering everything with that address including vehicles and driver’s licenses. It’s important to have your personal bills sent to the post office box or place of employment. Take these simple steps of not revealing any personal information about your family and report anything to authorities that seems to be irregular.

5. Report any suspicious activity or individuals to law enforcement. If you feel that someone in your family has been targeted or being stalked, report this information to law enforcement immediately.


By taking these five simple steps, you are ensuring more safety for your entire family. Remember, you are best resource for your children and always know where your children are at all times. Stay vigilant, informed, and alert. Emily wants all children to be happy and safe!

Emily Stone's Crime Watch – Tip #1

Emily Stone is the heroine in my novel Compulsion. She expertly tracks down pedophiles and serial killers and then anonymously emails her entire investigation to the police detective in charge of the case. She’s definitely one high-tech super sleuth that gets the job done as more criminals are taken off the streets. Her compulsion is to make sure that children, neighbors, and communities are safe from crime.

I want everyone to be safe from crime. I will be posting a weekly crime and safety tip that I know Emily would not hesitate tell you first hand.

This week is about personal safety for women outside of the home. It’s important not to become a target for a potential crime and there are a few tips that will help to keep you safe when traveling from one destination to the next.

Try and remember these three basic tips when you’re out in public areas:

1. Alert – be prepared and alert to where you are going and what you’re going to be doing next. Don’t get distracted by searching through your purse for keys or dialing your cell phone as you leave work or a shopping area. This makes you unaware of what’s going on around you and who could be watching you. It could potentially make you a crime target. If you are walking out to a parking lot have your key or alarm release ready. Get inside your vehicle and lock your doors before you do anything that takes your mind off the immediate surroundings.

2. Confidence – move and walk with confidence. That means make eye contact and carry your body straight with your shoulders back and down looking straight ahead. Confidence can be a valuable defense tactic and it can go a long way to help deter being a potential crime victim.

3. Observe – take a few seconds to observe your surroundings. It can be just a quick glance in several directions or studying something in more detail. If something doesn’t look or seem right to you, then retreat back into a public area for assistance. Also, if you notice something that seems out of place remember simple things, such as the exact location, description of all people involved, cars or objects, and exactly what you observed. This can be extremely important information to police investigations.

I actually carry a small spiral notebook, something that I can slip into a pocket or purse, to record anything that I feel looks out of place in public locations. That way I can refer to my notes if something ever transpires from the observed situation.

If you ever feel that you are in any danger or witness any type of crime, don’t hesitate to call the police immediately.