Avoid being robbed of your new iPhone on Black Friday

I have read a lot about all the Black Friday bargains that are out there.  Hundreds of web sites are just dedicated to finding the best deals.  We see people waiting for hours and sometimes days in the cold to get in the coveted first 50 places in line at their favorite store and this is just creating some bad environments.

The local news here in the Silicon Valley area reported a lot of crime.  Robberies were high on the list as people lose their cash to thugs while waiting in dark parking lots.  Other robberies target the shoppers after they get their booty and are loading up the vans and cars with bargain goods.

People waiting in line have had to add another smartphone to their shopping list as they have had the latest iPhones and Androids ripped from their hands while they are passing the time waiting for the stores to open.  Even a few tablets were reported stolen.

Across the country came a report that someone was even shot while waiting.

Here are some tips for your holiday shopping and future Black Friday excursions:

• There is safety in numbers, so have several people join you if you are waiting in line at night.  A friend who is a bouncer for a bar or club is an asset in this situation.
• Don’t flash your money if that is your method of payment.
• Carry a wallet with $20 in one dollar bills and no credit cards in it.
• Carry just one or two credit/debit cards in a deep side pocket, preferably zippered.
• Keep your large group of people together when taking your booty to your vehicles.

The best advice is to do your shopping at home.  I decided to see what I could find in the smartphone department.

Some web browsing came up with this sweet find: a $30 per month Unlimited Talk, Text and Data with a Samsung T401G slider QWERTY smartphone.