The underbelly of any society is filled with individuals who have no desire to contribute to the better good of the people in that society and think only of themselves as they put their efforts into criminal activity. It is apparent in our daily lives through reading newspapers and magazines or listening to the news that these people are amongst us in large numbers slowly destroying the very culture that the rest of us try so hard to uphold.
In this blog I’d like to give you a friendly reminder this holiday season to be careful out there. One of the most popular gifts during the holiday season is gift cards. These cards are sold by most retailers and are an easy way for you to purchase a gift for those hard to buy for people in your life. All you need to know is their hobbies, interests or retailer they frequent and your gift search is over with the purchase of a gift card. If you really want to make your holiday gift search painless you can even stop by your local grocer and you will find racks of gift card for most retails and restaurants. While these racks are convenient for you they are also convenient for criminals who take the card number and wait in front of their computers for the cards to be activated. Once they are aware a card is activated they make on line purchase and have the items shipped to a PO Box. When the items arrive at the PO Box they take them back to the retailer for a refund.
The sad thing about this is that you as the gift giver will not be aware until your family member or friend goes to use the gift cards and finds out that the card has been used. This is an embarrassment for both you as the giver and them as the recipient. However, there is a way to avoid this unpleasant embarrassment. Only purchase gift cards that are kept behind a counter or better yet purchase a Visa or American Express gift card at your local bank.
Be aware and don’t let the Grinch steal this holiday season from you.
Edward Boyle
CEO, Employing Broker
Katchen Company
Katchen Company, founded in 1962, is an integrated real estate company with its corporate headquarters in Lakewood, Colorado. The company offers real estate development, redevelopment, property management, brokerage, consulting services, construction oversight and maintenance services to individual and institutional real estate investors throughout the greater Denver metropolitan area in Denver with satellite offices in Chicago, Las Vegas and Miami market areas.
