Keith Echols

This is a safety reminder. Please lock your vehicle doors and set your alarm. Last month there were nine reported vehicle burglaries within PGA National in one night. There were probably more that went unreported. Three communities adjacent to each other wer the target of the thief or thieves involved. All the vehicles that were burglarized had one thing in common, they were all left unlocked.

Vehicle burglaries is a trend that is affecting all of Palm Beach County. Since May 1st there were nearly 25 vehicle burglaries in the City of Palm Beach Gardens, 9 of those were in PGA National. The more success criminals have in a particular area/community, the more likely they are to continue to target that area/community. By simply locking your vehicle doors and setting your alarm, we can minimize or even eliminate PGA National from being on the target list of those with criminal intent.

As always, security is here to help. See something, say something. Report any suspicious person or activity to security at (561) 627-1600. For an emergency dial 911.

Together we can make a difference.

As more and more people are getting vaccinated, the country is beginning to open back up with hopes of returning to normal. I am sure that visiting family and friends is on everyone’s to-do list. Please continue to take whatever safety precautions that you feel works best for you and your family.

While making travel plans, remember to fill out a Property Check form before you leave. Property Check forms can also be submitted at www.gateaccess.net or picked up at any gate house. Remember to set your alarm and secure all doors and windows. Stay safe and enjoy yourselves.

In one of my past articles, I made a suggestion about investing in a home surveillance system. I bring this up again because PGA National continues to be a place of interest for those with criminal intent. In the past few months, there has been a residential burglary and a stolen vehicle within PGA National. I am in no way suggesting that a camera system will prevent you from becoming a victim of a crime. It is my belief that a camera system that is visibly able to be observed from the roadway can greatly reduce your chances and provide a greater peace of mind.

Other suggestions that can help reduce your chance of becoming a victim of the previously mentioned crimes are:
• Make sure your home is alarmed and secured when not in use.
• Make sure your vehicle is secured and no valuables are left in sight.
• Minimize the number of people that have access to your home while you are away. If you have plans to travel, please submit a Property Check form before you leave. That form can be obtained at any gatehouse or at www.gateaccess.net.

Remember we are here with you and together we can make a difference. Report any suspicious person(s) or activity to security at 561-627-1600. For all emergencies dial 911.

Remember to secure all doors and windows before you leave your home. Also, remember
to set you alarm before leaving your home.

If you have any vacation plans, remember to fill out a Property Check form before you
leave. Property Check forms can also be submitted at www.gateaccess.net or picked up
at any gate house.

Report any suspicious person(s) or activity to security at 561-627-1600. For all
emergencies dial 911.

In the past few years, the number of scams and scammers plaguing our lives has increased. Scammers are very clever and continue to prey on uninformed civilians. The following information was obtained from and provided by ConsumerFraudReporting.org. It lists ten scams that are commonly being attempted everyday across the U.S., scams you all should be aware of. Here is the list.

1. Debt Collection: Most of the complaints under this category involve debt collectors. Consumers tell of receiving calls from harassing collectors who are threatening and will repeatedly call attempting to collect a debt. Other complaints that fall under this category involved credit/debit card fees, pay day loans, credit repair companies and unauthorized use of credit/debit cards. Some of these complaints involved hidden fees and billing disputes as well.
2. Fake Government Officials: If you received an email, letter or phone call from a government agency (typically the IRS or FBI) and it instructs you to wire, Western Union or MoneyGram money someplace, or follow a link and enter information – don’t believe it! The U.S. government would never instruct anyone to use those methods to pay any bill or carry out a financial transaction, particularly with an overseas bank or agency.
3. Identity Theft, Phishing and Pharming: Scammers gain access to your confidential information, like social security numbers, date of birth and then use it to apply for credit cards, loans, and financial accounts. Typically, the victim receives an email that appears to be from a credible, real bank or credit card company, with links to a website and a request to update account information. But the website and email are fakes, made to look like the real website.
4. Phone scams: This includes telemarketers violating the Do Not Call list, Robodialers, scammers calling up pretending to be from a bank or credit card company. The National Do Not Call Registry (U.S.) or the National Do Not Call List (Canada) offer consumers a free way to reduce telemarketing calls. Scammers call anyway, of course, and they’ve even found a way to scam consumers by pretending to be a government official calling to sign you up or confirming your previous participation on the Dot Not call list! A good example of this is the “Your Microsoft license key has expired” scam call – which you can hear and read about on this page.
5. Loans scams / Credit Fixers: False promises of business or personal loans, even if credit is bad, for a fee upfront. Or a scam that promises to repair your credit for a fee.
6. Fake Prizes, Sweepstakes, Free Gifts, Lottery scams: You receive an email claiming you won a prize, lottery, or gift, and you only must pay a “small fee” to claim it or cover “handling costs”. These include scams which can go under the name of genuine lotteries like the UK National Lottery and the El Gordo Spanish lottery. Unsolicited email or telephone calls tell people they are being entered or have already been entered into a prize draw. Later, they receive a call congratulating them on winning a substantial prize in a national lottery. But before they can claim their prize, they are told they must send money to pay for administration fees and taxes. The prize, of course, does not exist. No genuine lottery asks for money to pay fees or notifies its winner’s via an email.
7. Internet merchandise scams: You purchase something online, but it is either never delivered or it is not what they claimed it was or is defective. Online shopping, and other shop from home, such as catalog, mail and phone shopping scams are on the rise.
8. Automobile-Related Complaints: Car loans, car buying, car sales, auto repair, fake or useless extended warranties. Some of the complaints alleged consumers paid for repairs and that services provided were shoddy. Consumers reported repair companies that return vehicles to the consumer in a worse condition than how it was initially given to them. Other complaints involved consumers not receiving title to their vehicles at the time of sale.
9. Credit Bureaus and related credit scams: Credit/debit card fees, pay day loans, credit repair companies and unauthorized use of credit/debit cards. Some of these complaints involved hidden fees and billing disputes as well.
10. Phishing/Spoofing Emails: Emails that pretend to be from a company, organization or government agency but ask you to enter or confirm your personal information.

Authorities estimate that scamming is a billion-dollar industry. An industry where most of its victims do not recover any of their funds. Scammers success is predicated on our lack of knowledge and some scams are easier to detect than others. I say trust your gut feeling, if it does not feel right, then it’s probably not. Trust your instincts and be careful out there.

As always, never hesitate to call security at 561-627-1600, if you see something, say something. Report all suspicious people, activities, and vehicles. For all emergencies dial 911.

I hope this article finds you all in good spirits and in good health. As we all continue to make adjustments in our lives because of COVID-19, we must continue to be vigilant within our community. Criminals and their activities continue to play a role in our everyday life, even during a pandemic.

Over the past few months, security has received and responded to service calls for packages missing after being delivered, burglarized vehicles, stolen vehicles, and suspicious people within the community. Not in large numbers or anything to panic over. However, it is a reminder that PGA National is a place of interest for those with criminal intent. To reduce your chance of becoming the next victim, make sure your home is alarmed and secured when not in use. Make sure your vehicle is secured and no valuables are left in sight. If you do not already have them, consider adding surveillance cameras to our home.

We are here with you and together we can make a difference

Never hesitate to call security at 561-627-1600, if you see something, say something. Report all suspicious people and activities.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all that have been personally affected by this virus. You are encouraged to avoid “the Three C’s” to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowed places, and close-contact settings.

As the country begins to open back up bit by bit. Remember to continue to practice your best safety practices. Wash your hands as much as you can.

We are here with you and for you. Never hesitate to call security at 561-627-1600, if you see something, say something. Report all suspicious people and activities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all that have been personally affected by this virus.

I hope you and your loved ones have remained safe during these unprecedented times. As we face these challenges together, I want to convey that my entire team is committed to serving and protecting PGA National. As your security provider, we are always ready to lend a hand and together we can make a difference.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as we all maneuver through COVID-19. Hurricane season is right around the corner and making early preparations is key to being ready for storm season. Clean your yard of any items that could pose a threat to you or your neighbors in hurricane force winds. If possible, trim all trees and shrubs around your home. Stock your home with supplies that may be needed during the emergency period.

Criminals are still active and now is not the time to become complacent. Do not leave your key fob in your vehicle or leave your vehicle unlocked. Most vehicle thefts and burglaries are the result of these two occurrences. Remember to close your garage door when not in use and always set your alarm when you leave your home. Never open your door for any unexpected or unrecognizable visitors.

Never hesitate to call security at 561-627-1600, if you see something, say something. Report all suspicious people and activities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all that have been personally affected by this virus.