Five Tips to Protect Yourself from Theft [review JLeer jeans giveaway]

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of JLeer jeans in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A friend recently had her purse stolen while shopping. She turned away from her cart for just a few seconds to put something back on the shelf, and when she turned around it was gone.

Less than 5 seconds is all it took for her life to be turned upside down. Everything was in there. Her cell phone, keys, checkbook, license, credit/debit cards, photos, and address book filled with all kinds of personal information. Everything that you don’t want a stranger to get their hands on.

Until my friend’s experience, I’d never given much thought to theft. I mean I know it happens all the time, but “not to me”. And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one with that same mindset. So I decided to share ideas on how to keep your purse and personal items safe, and what to do if the unthinkable happens to you.

1. First and most obvious… Do not leave your bag unattended in shopping carts and be sure to keep your purse closed so someone can’t reach in and steal your wallet. It only takes a few seconds for someone to grab it and run. I know in your head you think, ‘it won’t happen to me…’ until it does. Don’t make it easy for someone to steal your stuff.

 

2. Hold your purse close to your body, keep it zipped up and/or have the flap opening next to your body. It’s much harder to steal something when it’s protected by your arm. If you have a purse with a longer strap, keep it crossed over your body and in front of you at all times. If you are wearing a coat, put it on OVER your purse strap.

 

3. Bring only with you what you need for that shopping trip. Don’t keep your checkbook, extra credit or gift cards, or excess cash in your wallet. And NEVER keep your social security card in your purse.

 

4. Take a quick inventory of your purse before you leave for the day and make a note of what you have in there. Be sure to have a record of all of your bank/credit card numbers (photocopy the front and back) and customer service contact information and keep it in a safe place at home.

 

5. Do not put your keys or cell phone in your purse.

Keep your keys and phone in your pocket. Why? If your purse is stolen, you’ll be stranded with no immediate way to call anyone. Not to mention the thief will have access to your car AND your home.

Just think of all the information you have on your cell phone… personal contact information, names and birth dates of your family/friends, private photos and texts (hopefully you have a password lock on your phone, but that might not stop someone from accessing your information). It would be so easy for someone to contact one of your friends or family and pretend to be you asking to borrow money or arranging to meet up and then breaking into your friend’s home when they are waiting for you to show up.

As an experiment, I texted a friend and asked her for a credit card number to purchase concert tickets, and she texted me her card number without question! (She is a very good friend!) Always call someone if they are asking for personal info via text message because you never know who is on the other end of that text.

How can you protect yourself?

A simple way to protect yourself is to keep your keys and phone separate from your purse. And I’ve discovered some amazing jeans to do just that.

Nothing says casual Friday like wearing your favorite jeans! #jleer #denim #fashion #jeans #casualfriday

A photo posted by JLeer Brand Denim (@jleerbranddenim)

JLeer brand jeans are not your typical 5 pocket jeans. They have two additional “smart pockets” located in the upper thigh area that help keep your things safe and close at hand.

I fell in love with JLeer jeans as soon as I took them out of their protective drawstring bag. They are fashionable, functional, and extremely comfortable. JLeer jeans have many styles to choose from for both men and women and they are on sale right now!

What to do if you find that your purse or wallet has been stolen:

1. Call the police right away
2. If you are still in the store, notify the store security and/or store manager.
3. Call your bank or credit card companies to find out if the card has already been used, and cancel your card.

 

About JLeer

JLeer is an independent brand that offers quality goods, with functional designs. By combining innovative design with quality apparel, JLeer strives to create functional fashionable clothing. For quite some time we have been frustrated with the classic 5 pocket denim design. The challenge was to change the way we think about the classic jean. After scouring the market and trends we were not able to find an alternative. So JLeer was born! JLeer embodies new designs and has been many years in the making. Our brand is perfect for anyone who carries a wallet, keys and a phone. If you are ready to try something new, JLeer is perfect for you.  

Enter win a pair of JLeer brand jeans.

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Disclosure: I was provided a pair of JLeer jeans in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are my own.