The holidays are upon us, and many of you will be heading out to the mall, plaza or one of your favorite stores to buy stuff! It’s a time of joy, thinking about loved ones, and shopping for that special gift.

It’s also a time when con artists hang around parking lots, sharpening up scams to make quick cash at your expense.

From the time you park your car until you get into a mall or store, you are vulnerable. Try to schedule your shopping trip during the day and park as close as possible to your destination. Make sure your purse is close to your body and walk quickly and purposefully.

If you are approached by anyone in the parking lot asking for money for any reason, ignore the request, avoid eye contact and keep going. When you get to the store, report your parking lot experience to mall security or store management.

Some hucksters hang out in parking lots, offering to sell what seems to be expensive jewelry or watches. Many times, the seller will have a sob story, begging to sell a piece of gold jewelry or a diamond ring to buy gas or fix their car.

This concept defies logic. Why would someone with a valuable piece of jewelry be selling it for a few bucks in the middle of a parking lot?

Avoid anyone trying to sell you anything in a parking lot. At best, you will end up with a piece of worthless junk. At worse, when you go for your money, you could find yourself mugged by a thug.

On the other hand, some parking lot scams just focus on parking meters still found here and there. Many meters still accept coins but others have been modified to use credit cards.

Beware of a growing scam involving parking meters tainted with stickers bearing corrupt QR payment codes. The bad codes whisk your smart phones to official-looking but phony websites that steal your payment information. Don’t fall for it.

Another twist on parking lot scams involves hucksters who leave fake parking tickets on windshields. You return to your car to find an official-looking ticket slipped under your wiper. The ticket is printed with a prominent QR code connecting your smart-phone to a crooked website. Your credit card is charged for a “violation” you never committed in the first place.

A final parking lot scam making the rounds involves fraudsters who approach you about a dent on your car, offering to fix the damage “on the spot” for cash, or directing you to a shady auto shop, where you will be fleeced. Often, these people will have damaged your vehicle while you were away shopping. Don’t engage with anyone selling car repair services in a parking lot. Get in your car and drive away.

Parking lot scammers can be bothersome, but be aware that a few folks may be after something more than a little cash. The FBI reports that 6% of all violent crime happens in parking lots and garages, including carjackings and robbery. Minimize your chances of becoming a victim by keeping your doors locked. Staying focused on where you are and who’s around you.

‘Tis the season to be merry, so think about what you’re doing, stay alert, and go out there and join the shopping fray. Remember to lock your car, and take your keys with you. Have a great holiday, a Happy New Year, and we’ll see you again in January.

If you have a question on a possible scam, talk to a family member or call your local police department. Seniors can also call their county Senior Services Unit for more information about scams. In Mahoning County, call Bob Schaeffer at 330-480-5078. In Trumbull County, call Don Hyde at 330-675-7096.

Dave Long of Poland, a Youngstown State University graduate, is a retired public affairs officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who later worked as an Elder Scam Prevention Outreach specialist in Rochester, New York, before moving back to the Mahoning Valley.