Reduce cash held on the premises to
a workable minimum.
Implement a system whereby excess
cash is removed to a secure area.
Place emergency numbers where
attendants can easily see them.
To reduce fraud:
Only accept cheques and credit cards
when presented with an acceptable form of identification.
Accept credit cards only if signed
at the back and with valid dates.
Hold the card and watch the customer
sign the voucher or cheque. Check and
compare the signature on the card against the signature on the voucher or
cheque.
Rub your thumb over the signature
strip – the signature strip should be flush with the card and this allows you
to detect whether the strip has been tampered with.
Transporting
Cash:
Money in transit is vulnerable. When possible
use a cash-transit company particularly for large sums of money.
If you choose to transport
cash on your own, consider the following to reduce the risk of falling prey to
criminals:
Assign more than one well-trained
person to the task.
Company uniforms should not be worn
but if they are, they should be covered by other clothing.
Avoid using public transport.
If using private transport keep the
doors locked at all times.
Avoid quiet streets and vary the
route and time of travel.
Do not advertise the fact that you
are carrying cash.
Ensure the time of return is known
so an alarm can be raised if necessary.
Be aware of drivers of vehicles or
people behaving suspiciously.
Do not put yourself at risk – hand the money over if
you are confronted.
https://jcf.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/protect-business-from-external-internal-issue.jpg6671000Shaunjaye Mitchellhttps://jcf.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Website-Logo-2.jpgShaunjaye Mitchell2019-12-24 16:20:102019-12-24 16:20:14Crime Prevention Tips for Businesses
As we seek to protect, serve and reassure members in the agricultural sector and generally the Jamaican society, we want to remind you that your safety begins with you. Here are some tips that may assist you to protect life, investments, and property:
Record Keeping
Create or update your current list of assets and personal items including vehicles, farm tools, and other implements, crop value and number of animals owned. It is important to keep a copy of this record for reporting purposes if the need arises. Record biodata for employees to include home address, next of kin, contact numbers, and location information for the purpose of creating a personal file for each person. Request recommendation letters from reputable individuals that speak to the character of farmworkers prior to employment. The request for police records during the vetting process for all potential employees is relevant. A log of all animals and their branding number, tattoo or tag number should also be kept for personal records. This information applies to both large and small farmers.
Creating Identity
Ensure
that special markings are placed on animals (branding, tattoo, tag) so that
they can be identified easily in the event of theft. This will also serve as an
accountability measure for farmers who conduct daily checks and balances
of their stock.
Proper Lighting and Bushing
Ensure that your premises are properly lit especially around the perimeter of farms and behind buildings. Trees or bushy areas need to be properly maintained to have clear visibility around the farm and reduce the possibility of persons lurking in or around your premises.
Fencing and Gates
Fencing defines property boundaries and restrict access to persons and animals that may trespass on your property. Make regular checks and inspections to validate the integrity of fences and gates so that the necessary repairs or improvements can be done. No trespassing and beware of dog signs can be helpful and assist in maintaining privacy and safety.
Alarm and Warning Systems
Having a dog around your farm is a type of alarm as an early warning system can be effective and prevent farm theft. Where possible, it is encouraged that security cameras, video surveillance and other monitoring systems be utilized as this has proven to reduce and prevent incidents of farm theft. Detection devices such as motion sensors, tripwires, sensor lights, panic buttons, and cowbells are useful warning tools that can assist to protect life and property.
Build Meaningful Partnerships
The Farm Watch Program encourages partnership at the community level with farmers, community members, the police and other stakeholders. This crime reduction/prevention strategy is useful as it helps members of the community to pool resources and be their neighbours keeper by giving an eye on their neighbours farm and property. Staying alert both night and day and identifying strange persons and vehicles can be the difference between life and death. Maintaining contact for your neighbors or community members can also serve well as we seek to alert persons as to what is happening around them. The number for your local Community Development Committee members, RADA, JAS, and other stakeholders can serve well as there is always strength in numbers.
Communication
It is important to know and document the numbers for your local police station, 119 or 311 to report farm theft or any emergency. Don’t support it, report it.
PRAEDIAL
LARCENY PREVENTION IS EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS.
The majority of cyber criminals do not discriminate; they target vulnerable computer systems regardless of whether they are part of a government agency, Fortune 500 company, small business, or belong to a home user. However, there are steps you can take to minimize your chances of an incident.
Set strong passwords, change them regularly, and don’t share them with anyone.
Do not include your name, your kids’ or pets’ names, or other well-known information about yourself in your password;
Avoid using common words in your passwords or passphrases. Instead, break up words with numbers and punctuation marks or symbols. For example, @ can replace the letter “A” and an exclamation point (!) can replace the letters “I” and “L”; and
Use a combination of upper and lower case letters.
Keep your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimized by installing updates.
Maintain an open dialogue with your friends, family, colleagues, and community about Internet safety.
Use privacy settings and limit the amount of personal information you post online.
Be cautious about offers online – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
1. Keep Personal Information Professional and Limited
Potential employers or customers don’t need to know your personal relationship status or your home address. They do need to know about your expertise and professional background, and how to get in touch with you. You wouldn’t hand purely personal information out to strangers individually—don’t hand it out to millions of people online.
2. Keep Your Privacy Settings On
Marketers love to know all about you, and so do hackers. Both can learn a lot from your browsing and social media usage. But you can take charge of your information. Both web browsers and mobile operating systems have settings available to protect your privacy online. Major websites like Facebook also have privacy-enhancing settings available. These settings are sometimes (deliberately) hard to find because companies want your personal information for its marketing value. Make sure you have enabled these privacy safeguards, and keep them enabled.
3. Practice Safe Browsing
You wouldn’t choose to walk through a dangerous neighborhood—don’t visit dangerous neighborhoods online. Cybercriminals use lurid content as bait. They know people are sometimes tempted by dubious content and may let their guard down when searching for it. The Internet’s demimonde is filled with hard-to-see pitfalls, where one careless click could expose personal data or infect your device with malware. By resisting the urge, you don’t even give the hackers a chance.
4. Make Sure Your Internet Connection is Secure. Use a Secure VPN Connection
When you go online in a public place, for example by using a public Wi-Fi connection, you have no direct control over its security. Corporate cybersecurity experts worry about “endpoints”—the places where a private network connects to the outside world. Your vulnerable endpoint is your local Internet connection. Make sure your device is secure, and when in doubt, wait for a better time (i.e., until you’re able to connect to a secure Wi-Fi network) before providing information such as your bank account number.
To further improve your Internet browsing safety, use a secure VPN connection (a virtual private network). VPN enables you to have a secure connection between your device and an Internet server that no one can monitor or access the data that you’re exchanging.
5. Be Careful What You Download
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather. Don’t download apps that look suspicious or come from a site you don’t trust.
6. Choose Strong Passwords
Passwords are one of the biggest weak spots in the whole Internet security structure, but there’s currently no way around them. And the problem with passwords is that people tend to choose easy ones to remember (such as “password” and “123456”), which are also easy for cyber thieves to guess. Select strong passwords that are harder for cybercriminals to demystify. Password manager software can help you to manage multiple passwords so that you don’t forget them. A strong password is one that is unique and complex—at least 15 characters long, mixing letters, numbers and special characters.
7. Make Online Purchases From Secure Sites
Any time you make a purchase online, you need to provide credit card or bank account information—just what cybercriminals are most eager to get their hands on. Only supply this information to sites that provide secure, encrypted connections. You can identify secure sites by looking for an address that starts with https: (the S stands for secure) rather than simply http: They may also be marked by a padlock icon next to the address bar.
8. Be Careful What You Post
The Internet does not have a delete key, as that young candidate in New Hampshire found out. Any comment or image you post online may stay online forever because removing the original (say, from Twitter) does not remove any copies that other people made. There is no way for you to “take back” a remark you wish you hadn’t made, or get rid of that embarrassing selfie you took at a party. Don’t put anything online that you wouldn’t want your mom or a prospective employer to see.
9. Be Careful Who You Meet Online
People you meet online are not always who they claim to be. Indeed, they may not even be real. As InfoWorld reports, fake social media profiles are a popular way for hackers to cozy up to unwary Web users and pick their cyber pockets. Be as cautious and sensible in your online social life as you are in your in-person social life.
10. Keep Your Antivirus Program Up To Date
Internet security software cannot protect against every threat, but it will detect and remove most malware—though you should make sure it’s to date. Be sure to stay current with your operating system’s updates and updates to applications you use. They provide a vital layer of security.
Keep these 10 basic Internet safety rules in mind and you’ll avoid many of the nasty surprises that lurk online for the careless.
https://jcf.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Cyber-Safety-Best-Practice-1200x565.jpg5651200Shaunjaye Mitchellhttps://jcf.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Website-Logo-2.jpgShaunjaye Mitchell2019-12-22 10:49:382023-11-25 14:19:52Ten Internet Safety Rules & What Not to Do Online
Ensure that valuable personal possessions (e.g. cash and high-end electronic devices) are properly secured or concealed. If you intend to conduct business involving large amounts of cash with someone, feel free to do so at a Police Station or some other safe location.
Avoid wearing excessive jewellery, particularly gold, especially when walking in areas with high pedestrian traffic.
Always ensure that your house and car keys are easily accessible to minimize the time it takes to enter homes and vehicles.
Walk-in well-lit areas and avoid walking alone. If you think you are being followed, trust your instincts and proceed to a crowded area, maintain your vigilance, and seek assistance.
Do not leave valuable items on motor vehicle seats or areas within the vehicle that make them visible to passers-by.
Avoid taking large sums of money to/from the bank or directing employees to do so. Employ a reputable security service to handle deposits to financial institutions or seek the assistance of the Police. Persons using Automated Teller Machines are also urged to be vigilant and protect their debit/credit card information.
Travellers are urged to be alert at the airport and be mindful of people who are not legitimately authorized to load and unload vehicles or provide transportation. If you believe you are being followed, proceed to a busy location and contact the Police immediately.
SAFETY AT HOME
If you can, invest in safety features for your home. This may simply take the form of sturdy locks and doors or more advanced home security systems.
Be careful who has access to your home. Crafty robbers sometimes pose as household employees, such as gardeners and domestic helpers, then use the opportunity to steal items from your home.
Since children might be home for the holidays, teach them not to speak to strangers and shout for help if they feel unsafe. Also, teach them to never give out personal information and how to contact the Police. Always leave children at home you can instead leave them in the care of trusted relatives or a responsible caregiver.
TRANSPORTATION
When taking public transportation, especially taxis, always remember to note the license plate number, colour and make of the vehicle. Always let someone you trust know when you board a taxi and share this information with them. Be wary of drivers who ask you to divert from planned routes.
Taxi drivers are also being warned to be alert and look out for criminals who pose as genuine passengers, avoid carrying groups of men and be wary of passengers who ask you to divert.
Do not drink and drive. Have a designated driver when you attend events in case you consume excessive alcohol. Also, ensure your vehicles are properly secured at these events.
Obey all the road codes when travelling and comply with the instructions of the Police.
We urge the public to not be hesitant in reporting crimes to the
Police 119 emergency number, Crime Stop at 311 or the nearest Police Station.
