Be Sure to Sign for the Delivery
The newspapers are reporting a large volume of thefts due to so-called “porch pirates”, thieves who take delivery packages left outside of doorways without signatures. With the holiday season underway, deliverymen are unusually busy bringing gifts to homes and offices for recipients who are not always available to sign for them. Small businesses are also vulnerable, particularly home-based businesses.
You can take steps to reduce the risk of loss. First, try to schedule your deliveries when you know someone will be available to sign for the package. I pay for the delivery services to e-mail me in advance to schedule deliveries. This has been my longstanding practice, as I don’t want to be interrupted when on a client videoconference or participating in a live media interview. It also has the advantage of thwarting the porch pirates. A number of delivery services, such as FedEx, UPS, DHL and Amazon Locker, offer various options to schedule deliveries. You can also arrange to have your packages delivered to another location to ensure secure delivery. And of course, always require a signature – for packages you send to others and for those you have delivered to you. It is an extra layer of protection against loss.