Crime Prevention and Safety

• Be alert and aware at all times of your
  surroundings and the people nearby.
• Walk with confidence and at a steady pace,
  don’t appear as if you’re lost or confused about your surroundings.
• If you’re carrying a purse or bag, your personal safety outweighs fighting over it. If someone grabs your purse and takes off with it, LET THEM.
• Avoid isolated or poorly-lit places, unpopulated areas, alleys, vacant lots or buildings.
• If possible, always travel with a friend or call
  AHC Campus Police for an escort (805) 347 -7557

• Avoid browsing through your phone or putting your headphones on as these activities can impede your senses and make you vulnerable for attack or theft.
• Know the bus times so you don’t sit around for a prolonged period of time.
• Don’t open your purse or wallet while boarding the bus—have your pass or money already in your hand.
• Try to avoid isolated bus stops.

• Always have your keys in your hand when
  walking towards your vehicle.
• Check the backseat before entering your car.
• Park your car in well-lit areas and avoid sitting in your car for any length of time while in remote areas or parking lots.
• Never leave valuables in plain sight on the
  seat, floorboard, or dash; put them inside the trunk if necessary.
• If you have car try trouble, stay in your car until help arrives.
• When driving, try to always keep doors locked and windows closed.
• If you think another car is following you, drive to a well-lit public space or Police and Sheriff's Department.

• Never leave your purse or wallet in plain view or in the pocket of a jacket hanging on a door.
• Personal property should be marked with a form of identity such as your California Driver’s License number.
• Don’t leave cash or valuables at the office. If you work alone or before/after normal business hours, keep the office door locked.
• If you work late, try to find another worker or a Campus Safety Officer to walk out with you.
• If you are in an elevator with another person, try to stand near the control panel. If attacked, press the alarm and as many of the control buttons as possible.
• Be alert for individuals lingering around or in campus buildings and parking lots. 
  
• Report all suspicious persons and activities to the proper authorities (office manager, campus security, and law enforcement).
• Be aware of emergency procedures, escape routes, and evacuation locations for any emergency.
• Talk with your coworkers about office safety and security and practice your escape routes.
• Finally, if a crime does occur…REPORT IT!

Safety at Home

• Lock your doors- Keep your doors and windows locked when you are home and away.
• Do not let anyone into your home that you do not know and trust.
• Do not give your phone number to "wrong phone number" callers. Ask the caller "What number are you calling?"
• If you receive a threating, harassing, or obscene phone call, notify the Police or Sheriff's Department. Keep a record of the date, time, and content of each call.
• Take a Walk Around Your Property and Think Like a burglar. ...
• Keep shrubbery neatly trimmed to help cut down on intruder hiding spots. ...
• Use exterior lights to deter burglars or intruders. ...
• Use technology to keep an eye on things at home.

• Never leave valuables in plain sight on the
  seat, floorboard, or dash; put them inside the trunk if necessary. Try to park in well-lit populated areas.
• Having the registration tabs stolen from your license plate can be a frustrating experience. Below are some tips on how to retain them:
  1. Peel off old stickers before applying a new one. New stickers are much harder to remove when they are applied directly to the plate.
  2. After apply the sticker, score it wit a razor blade in a diagonal cross hatching pattern. This will prevent the sticker from being removed in one piece and make it much harder for anyone to reassemble.

• Don’t leave valuables unattended in common areas.
• Don’t prop doors open.
• Don’t allow unknown persons to follow behind you and enter a key access restricted area.
• Report suspicious people.
• Keep your backpack next to you when eating in the dining areas. Cubbyholes or storage areas are not secure locations for your valuables.
• Don’t leave backpacks unattended while working out. Keep cell phones and keys on your person.
• Keep personal records of all technology items, including a full description, serial number, and also a picture.

• Minimize the amount of information a thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, a social security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed.
• Keep a list and/or photocopy of all of your credit cards and bank account numbers. Keep customer service telephone numbers for those institutions.
• Never give your credit card numbers or other personal information over the phone. Many people have fallen victim to callers claiming you have won a prize.
• Order a credit report once a year to check for accuracy.
• Report any unauthorized use of your credit card and/or identity to the Police or Sheriff's Department and the appropriate financial institution immediately.

• Scammers (thieves trying to trick victims) are targeting international and local students across the nation. Scammers posing as local police officers, agents of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), travel companies, apartment leasing companies, and immigration agencies – such as the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Embassies abroad are contacting students and demanding money and personal information.
• Never provide personal information or money to anyone who has contacted you by phone, email or social media claiming you have violated your immigration status or owe taxes and must transfer money through Western Union (or other companies), or purchase gift cards, in order to rectify your immigration status. In many cases, callers will use a technique to mask their true caller ID with another government listed phone number or number of a private institution like a bank. If you are unsure about who is calling, tell the individual that you are busy and write down the caller’s name and phone number. If the caller refuses, hang up. Government agencies do not request payment over the phone.
• Avoid making cash transactions with strangers. Most scams occur when a stranger approach you with either a sad story or a business offer. These individuals seek to gain money from you in exchange for something that may not be true. Some scammers will ask for payment in the form of wire transfers or gift cards. If you are contacted by such persons, do not reveal any personal information. Ask for their contact information, and report the incident to the local law enforcement agency immediately.
• Do not fall victim to scammers who call and say they are with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)! More and more phone scams have been happening in which people will call and threaten you with police arrest or deportation if you do not pay them.

Please be advised, even if you do owe taxes…

• The IRS will never call and demand immediate payment over the phone.
• The IRS will never threaten or intimidate you, demand payment with a prepaid debit card, or ask for your credit card or debit card number over the phone.
• The IRS will never threaten to call the police or immigration agents if you don’t pay.
• If you or a fellow student receive a call like this, report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration online or by calling 800-366-4484. Also, report it online to the Federal Trade Commission.