Keeping Safe

Personal Safety

There are a number of practical things you can do to protect yourself while out and about:

• If you’re going anywhere on your own, tell a family member or a friend where you are going, and what time you should be back.
• If you’re walking alone, think about carrying a personal alarm.  Try to avoid dark or unlit areas, and if you can take a route through a busy area, do so.
• Try to be aware and stay aware of your surroundings.
• Don’t carry all your valuables in one place.  For example, carry your phone in your pocket and your wallet or purse in your bag.
• If travelling on a bus or train, don’t sit alone in a carriage or upstairs.  Choose a seat in a busier area or closer to the driver.

 Keeping Safe at Home

If you have been a victim of an intruder or a burglary at home, you can contact us for help and support.  There are also some practical steps you can take to protect your home:

• Lock all doors.  Even when you are in the house, it is sensible to keep the doors locked.  You should also lock your windows where possible.
• Think about investing in a burglar alarm or some extra security like lights or security cameras.
• Don’t leave valuables in plain sight.  Try to keep things like laptops, car keys, wallets etc out of sight and away from the front door.
• Don’t leave a spare key in an obvious place outside the house, like under a plantpot.  Instead, leave a key with a trusted neighbour or a friend/relative.
• Keep tools and ladders out of sight and locked away where possible.  These can be used to break windows, or access an open window on an upper floor.
• If you are away from your house, try not to make it obvious that the house is empty.  Timers can be useful for turning lights, TVs and radios on and off.  If you trust a neighbour to do so, ask if they’ll open and shut blinds or curtains a few times.

If you do come across an intruder in your home, where possible you should immediately inform the police.  If this is not possible, the law states that you are allowed to use ‘reasonable force’ to protect yourself or others, to make an arrest, or to stop a crime being committed.  Each case would be assessed on its own merits to determine how much force was reasonable in that particular situation.

If someone who lives in your home is causing you harm, or making you feel frightened or unsafe, you can get help.  You can call the Police on 01624 631212. There are also ‘Safe Places’ on the Isle of Man where you can go to if you are a victim of domestic violence.  These include all police stations.

Online

• Keep your anti-virus software up to date.
• Change passwords regularly, don’t use the same one across multiple sites, and use as complicated passwords as you can remember.
• If an email looks suspicious, or you don’t know who it is from, delete it before opening.  Use a filter for spam or junk mail.
• Use secure sites when checking your online banking or doing any shopping online.  You can check a site is secure as a padlock will appear in the search box.
• Use an adult block on your computer to stop any illegal or unsavoury sites, which often host malware or spyware.
• Talk to your children about internet safety and keep an eye on what they are doing online.
• You can install a child safety option on your internet browser to stop your children accessing ‘adult’ sites or inappropriate content.

Fraud

Fraud is a growing problem, but there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from it.

• Stay safe online.  Use different passwords for different sites, and change them on a regular basis.
• Beware of phishing emails – these can look like official emails and will ask for personal or financial details.  If in doubt, check!
• Shred or rip up any documentation which contains your personal or financial details before disposing of it.
• Never give anyone your PIN number.
• Install anti-virus software on your home computers.
• Beware of cold-callers to your door or your phone.  Most reputable sales companies will not get in contact with you unless you have asked them to.

Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is!