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Porch Pirates, Card Skimmers, and Online Fraud: How to Stay Safe This Season

Issue #282

25 Nov

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

☁️ Columbia Weather - Cloudy with a high of 68 / low of 40

📰 Porch Pirates, Card Skimmers, and Online Fraud: How to Stay Safe This Season

📰 Maury Regional Health Breaks Ground in Lawrence

🛍 Shop Early Black Friday Deals on Amazon!

🎵 Today’s Live Music

⛑ Looking For Ways to Help Victims of Hurricane Helene? Click Here

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Monday, November 25th

Tuesday, November 26th

Wednesday, November 27th

Thursday, November 28th

Friday, November 29th

Saturday, November 30th

*More events to be listed soon!

Porch Pirates, Card Skimmers, and Online Fraud: How to Stay Safe This Season

As the holiday season kicks off, shoppers are reminded to stay vigilant against theft and scams, which are on the rise during this time of year. With an estimated $980 billion expected in retail sales this year, both in stores and online, opportunities for theft abound. From porch pirates to card skimmers and online fraudsters, taking precautions is essential to protect your purchases and finances.

Porch pirates are a significant issue, with package thefts totaling nearly $16 billion last year, according to safety advisory group Safewise. This year, an estimated 120 million packages are expected to be stolen. To deter package thieves, consider installing a home security system or exploring alternative delivery options. These include having packages sent to secure lockers, requesting delivery notifications, using workplace delivery addresses, requiring signatures for delivery, or asking neighbors to retrieve packages for you.

Card skimming remains a popular method for stealing credit and debit card information. Skimmers are devices attached to card readers, capturing sensitive data from the magnetic strip or chip. At ATMs, these devices are often hidden inside card slots, while at stores, they are typically placed over card readers. To avoid falling victim to skimmers, inspect card readers for unusual features such as wobbly components, broken lights, or misplaced stickers before inserting your card.

With online shopping growing steadily, cybercriminals are ramping up their efforts during the holiday season. Fake websites, phishing links, and fraudulent charities are common tactics used to steal personal and financial information. To stay secure, enable two-factor authentication on shopping accounts, keep software updated, and avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or emails.

In busy stores, thieves often use distraction tactics to steal wallets or purses. A common scenario involves one individual engaging a shopper in conversation while an accomplice takes the shopper’s wallet from a cart or bag. To prevent this, always keep bags or wallets closed and within view, preferably in front of you.

By staying alert and adopting these precautions, shoppers can enjoy the holiday season without falling victim to theft or scams.

Maury Regional Health Breaks Ground in Lawrence

Maury Regional Health (MRH) held a groundbreaking ceremony in conjunction with the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Nov. 21, to celebrate construction on a new health park on Highway 43 in the Ethridge community north of Lawrenceburg.

The three-story 60,000-sq.-ft. facility across from the FedEx Distribution Center will be home to Maury Regional Medical Group physicians and providers, including primary care and specialties. Additional services will include imaging, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational health and a sleep center. Several independent providers on the medical staff at MRH have also expressed interest in leasing space in the new facility, bringing even more specialty services to the health park.

“Maury Regional Health has long served southern Middle Tennessee through our facilities in Maury, Marshall, Lewis and Wayne counties,” said MRH CEO Martin Chaney, MD. “Our neighbors in Lawrence County have entrusted us with their care for decades, and we are committed to offering them more services, close to home.”

According to Chief Administrative Officer Charlie Brinkley, MRH purchased 14.8 acres in February 2024 with plans to utilize approximately 6.4 acres for the facility, leaving space for future growth.

“When we look at the health care needs of the region, the largest volume of patients we serve resides in Maury County followed by Lawrence County,” said Brinkley. “We look forward to expanding the services offered locally to residents in this growing community.” 

Site preparation began in October and construction is expected to take approximately one year to complete, pending weather delays. MRH worked with MPA Developments on the launch of the project, with Davis-Stokes serving as the architect and Pellicano Construction leading the building process. The estimated construction cost is $24 million.

The Lawrence County health park is among several expansion projects underway or in the planning phases at MRH. Improvements at the main campus in Columbia include the development of an Orthopedic Surgical Institute to accommodate the growing number of joint replacements, renovation of the emergency department, expansion of the heart center, parking and thoroughfare improvements, additional childbirth beds and expansion of the front entry to relocate key patient and visitor services toward the main entrance.

Shop Early Black Friday Deals on Amazon!

Now’s the time to snag some serious savings on Amazon!

Here are some of the awesome deals we found:

*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

🎵 Today’s Live Music

Monday, November 25th

Troy Castelland, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Tuesday, November 26th

Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Wednesday, November 27th

Troy Castelland, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

Thursday, November 28th

Todd Ciprian, Tito's Spring Hill, 6-9 PM

Friday, November 29th

Tom Saffell & Robert Johnson, McCreary's Irish Pub, 7-9 PM
Kristy Cox, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
615  Rewind, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Saturday, November 30th

TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 4-7 PM
November Blue, McCreary's Irish Pub, 7-9 PM
Kenny Durham Trio, Puckett’s, 7:30-9 PM
CJ & The Whiskey Sundown Band, Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Sunday, December 1st

TBD, Natchez Hills Vineyard, 1-4 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

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