8 Ways To Avoid Being A Victim Of A Porch Pirate

I love the idea of doing most of my shopping on-line.  The thought of dragging 6 kids shopping with me is quite daunting. NO THANKS! I avoid retail stores most of the time except for food shopping.  Shopping on-line has been a must for me. Plus I can shop anywhere except in an actual retail store! If I am not shopping on Amazon where I get free shipping I will purchase enough to get free shipping. 

 

Buying on-line is convenient but it can come with a risk.  Unfortunately people take advantage of those that shop on-line by stealing their packages once delivered at their front door. The media calls these thieves package pirates or porch pirates. These people prey on innocent people who have had packages delivered and left at their doorstep by stealing their packages. I do not know about you but this makes me furious! Thankfully I have not been a victim because I have taken these steps:

When you order on-line keep tabs on when you will approximately receive your delivery. Most times when you order the company you ordered from will e-mail you a tracking code and you can track when you will receive your delivery. In doing so you can possible adjust when you can be home so the package(s) do not sit at your doorstep unattended. 

 

If you are not going to be home possibly have your package delivered elsewhere. Maybe a place of employment, a relative or a neighbor who will be home. When ordering on-line there is typically an option to have your item(s) shipped to a different location then the bill to.

 

You can also have items shipped to store instead of having them delivered to your home. Most retailers consider this free shipping verses shipping it to your home where you maybe charged a shipping fee. 

 

You do not see it to often as an option when ordering on-line but most times there is a place to add comments or special instructions where you can make a note for a request for signature upon delivery.   

 

If you are going out of town the United States Postal Service will hold your mail and/or packages. You can simply go on-line or go directly to the post office and fill out the short form to put in for the dates you want your mail held and re-started. 

 

Install a security camera by your front door to give you a bird’s eye view of  any packages that are delivered.  My family went away for a week and even though I had our packages held with the post office other carriers delivered my packages. Hundreds of miles away from home I was able to keep watch of the packages by way of our front door camera system that were left at my doorstep. After I saw them left I was able to contact my neighbor to take them for me and hold them for me until I returned.

 

Talk to your neighbors. Make a pact with them that you will keep an eye out for them if they do the same for you. 

 

Have a designated area by your front door that your packages can be delivered where packages can be concealed once delivered. Things like a large potted plant or outside decor. 

 

What are some ways you are keeping your packages safe?

 

This article may contain affiliate links. Feel free to see Mama to 6 Blessings Disclosure Policy if you have any questions.