How Boston is Cracking Down on Drink Spiking at Bars
The Licensing Board for the City of Boston recently launched a program aimed to stop drink spiking at bars.
According to a press release, the Licensing Board has partnered with the Office of Nightlife Economy (O.N.E.) to distribute StopTopps to the nearly 1,400 establishments with alcohol licenses in the city. StopTopps are single-use aluminum foil covers that stick to the edge of your drinking glass to provide a protective barrier against anyone trying to spike your drink.
The StopTopps feature the City of Boston’s logo on them along with the text, “We’ve got you covered. Please drink responsibly. Never leave your drink unattended.”
A City of Boston Licensing Board spokesperson said in a statement to Boston.com, “In order to build a safe, fun, and responsible nightlife scene in our community, we have been grateful for the partnership with the Office of Nightlife Economy to make these resources available for our license holders. We hope that businesses will continue to work alongside the City to protect patrons across all neighborhoods.”
Boston.com notes 69 drink spiking incidents have been reported this year to the Boston Police Department as of Dec. 10.
Establishments can sign up to receive 1,000 free StopTopps here.
Boston Police Offer Tips in Spotting Holiday Scams
The Boston Police Department has offered tips to help residents identify and avoid holiday scams.
If you follow the official Facebook of the Boston Police Department, you may have noticed numerous “Community Alert” posts highlighting different types of scams. Here’s a breakdown of just some of the holiday scams you might encounter.
Shopping Scams
Boston PD notes, “The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns shoppers against an increase in fake websites or personal sellers offering discounts this holiday season … Scammers create bogus sites stealing photos and logos from legitimate businesses to obtains PII, credit card information or send shoppers a cheap counterfeit product.”
Other shopping scams include fake ads being posted on social media. In other words: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Temporary Holiday Jobs Scams
Those looking to make some extra cash this holiday season need to look out for this one. Boston PD says, “Scammers will advertise online temporary positions for holiday work by impersonating legitimate companies … Job seekers should be wary of big money for these positions and are advised to never work for a company before being hired.”
If you encounter a holiday job scam, you should report it to local police, the Federal Trade Commission, and/or the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are popular year-round, but there is seemingly an increase in them during the holidays. Typically, they’re found in emails where a scammer is posing as a real retailer. A good way to detect a phishing email is to check it for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors. Double-checking the email address that sent the email may also reveal that that free gift card offer is really fraudulent. Also, avoid clicking any links in these emails.
Like the holiday job scam, it’s advised to report phishing emails to local police, the Federal Trade Commission, and/or the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Missed Delivery Scams
Missed delivery scams can be found in your email inbox, but they often show up via text message, too. As with phishing emails, do not click any links in these missed delivery scam emails/texts. If you’re not expecting a package, then those messages are likely scams that should be reported to local police, the Federal Trade Commission, and/or the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
