Do you have a friend or family member that is elderly or requires additional help and needs to be checked on regularly or are you that person and would like to receive a phone call to ensure you're doing well? The El Segundo Police Department now offers the program You Are Not Alone (Y.A.N.A). 

The YANA program is free to all El Segundo residents and helps provide on-going contact for seniors, persons with disabilities, or anyone that can benefit from the routine contact. Our El Segundo Police Department Volunteers make the phone calls to the participants weekly on a day and time designated by the resident. 

Some of the benefits of the program include providing peace of mind and a sense of comfort for the City's homebound older or disabled adult residents who enjoy the independence of living alone, in addition to access to community information for support or referrals. We believe by staying connected to the community, participants can reduce the chance of being victimized. 

To learn more about the program and to register visit elsegundopd.org/yana.

AUTO THEFT
We are seeing an increase in vehicle thefts. The most common being sport utility vehicles (SUV), full-size pickup trucks, and vehicles that have been professionally modified with quality parts.  

Help put the brakes on vehicle theft by using the "Layered Approach" to Protection. The more layers of protection on your vehicle, the more difficult it is to steal.

LAYER 1: The common sense approach is the simplest and most cost-effective way to thwart would-be thieves. For example, always lock your car and remove valuables.
LAYER 2: Use a viable or audible device which alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected.
LAYER 3: Use a device which prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated.
LAYER 4: The use of an electronic tracking device which emits a signal to the police or monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles.

For more information on how to prevent auto theft, click here. 

KEYPAD OVERLAY SKIMMERS
Skimming involves the installation of a device, usually undetected by customers, that secretly records bank account data when the customer inserts or swipes their credit or ATM card into the machine.

A keypad overlay such as the one featured is placed directly on top of the factory installed keypad and stores the actual keystrokes of the customers PIN. Therefore, no concealed camera is needed and allows the criminal to install these devices in a matter of seconds. 

Most skimming devices are installed for short periods of time, often for a few hours and typically are attached only with double-sided tape. They are then removed by criminals who download the stolen account information and can encode it on to blank cards, make fraudulent purchases online or sell the stolen information on the internet.

HOW TO HELP AVOID BEING SKIMMED: 

• Inspect the card reader or keypad before using it. Try to wiggle or gently pull up on the keypad before inserting your card to see if it has any moving parts. If it moves, don't use it.  
• Keep an eye out for anything unusual, including ATMs and payment terminals that look like they have been tampered with. If the equipment seems crooked or out of place, don't use it.
  
• Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN to prevent any cameras from recording you.
• Use a contactless credit or debit card and simply tap it to the machine instead of inserting or swiping it. 

Tips:  Often times fraudulent charges on a credit card are easier to dispute than charges made using a debit card. Therefore, opt to use your credit card instead of your debit card if you have the option.

Regularly monitor credit card and ATM transactions and set up account alerts to help you detect suspicious activity.

In the event your account has been compromised, report it to your financial institution right away and make a report with the Police Department.