By Stu Johnson
Richmond, KY – The first big shopping weekend of the holiday season has come and gone. It's also a busy season for thieves. Police remind shoppers there are steps they can take to protect themselves. Lexington police spokesman Bige Towery says social networks are fun, but they can also provide useful information to criminals.
"Checking in on Facebook we let everyone know where we are and we've got to be very careful about that because as soon as you check in somewhere, you're letting everyone know that your friend or perhaps based on your privacy settings everyone know that your not at home," said Towery.
The hectic atmosphere also can also create an opportunity for identity thieves. Towery says a technique dubbed shoulder surfing' is popular among crooks.
"Someone may be behind you while you are paying with a check or even a credit card of debit card, and they may be taking a picture of your check with their cell phone. And at that point if you are paying with a check, they have your routing number, your account number, and all your pertinent information," added Towery. Towery says such shoulder surfing' has been witnessed in central Kentucky. He adds identity theft has been on the increase all across the country.