24 OP Winter Senior Newsletter

ONLINE SAFETY

ONLINE EXCHANGES

In a new digital age, in-person online exchanges bridge the gap between physical and digital commerce. They occur when a potential buyer visits an online marketplaces to find an item they are looking for, then meets up with the individual in-person to see the item in person and/or complete the transaction. For years, the Village of Orland Park has offered utilization of the Orland Park Police Department parking lot and lobby for completion of online transactions. The premise of this offer is to create a safe environment to conduct business which would deter sellers from ripping off potential customers and potential customers stealing from the sellers. “The use of the lobby and parking lot has been offered for years and is currently being offered to deter any possible internet-related crime that may come along with such exchanges,” says Village of Orland Park Police Chief Eric Rossi. “Internet sales are common practice, and it is important to conduct such sales and purchases in a safe area that is under video surveillance.”

Police department staff will not oversee or be responsible for such transactions. Rather, the space is intended to assist in the safe exchange of goods and money without incident.

Internet marketplace Craigslist offers the following advice for personal safety: When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:

Be especially careful when

Insist on a public meeting place.

Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.

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buying or selling high value items.

Tell a friend or family member where you're going.

Take your cell phone along if you have one.

Consider having a friend accompany you.

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orlandpark.org

8 | ORLAND PARK SENIORS