Let the Easter festivities begin in Houston! With Easter being just a few weeks away, there is so much to do in the Greater Houston area. There is something to attend for all ages; Easter photos, Easter egg hunts, family activities, and even events for the fur in your family! See below for a list of Easter-related activities you and your family may be interested in attending.

Easter Bunny Photos
Memorial City Mall
Now through Saturday, April 15th
Times vary based on day (see link below for schedule)
http://www.memorialcity.com/events/#

First Colony Mall
Now through Saturday, April 15th
Times vary based on day (see link below for schedule)
https://www.firstcolonymall.com/en/events/hop-on-in-for-photos-with-the-easter-bunny-11615.html

Willowbrook Mall
Now through Saturday, April 15th
Times vary based on day (see link below for schedule)
https://www.shopwillowbrookmall.com/en/events/hop-on-in-for-photos-with-the-easter-bunny-11646.html?intcmp=willowbrook-mall-tx-events;promotile;hop-on-in-for-photos-with-the-easter-bunny-learn-more

Katy Mills Mall-Neighborhood 6
Now through Sunday, April 16th
Times vary based on day (see link below for schedule)
http://www.simon.com/mall/katy-mills/stores/follow-the-bunny–easter-photo-experience

The Galleria
Friday, March 24th through Sunday, April 16th
Times vary based on day (see link below for schedule)
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-galleria/stores/the-galleria-mall-management-office/stream/easter-bunny-photos-4915410

Pet Friendly Photos
Memorial City Mall
Sunday, March 26th and Sunday, April 9th
6-8 PM
http://365thingsinhouston.com/calendar/pet-photos-easter-bunny-memorial-city/#

Willowbrook Mall
Monday, April 3rd through Monday, April 10th
4-8 PM
https://www.shopwillowbrookmall.com/en/events/pet-night-with-the-easter-bunny-save-30-on-pet-photos-12023.html?intcmp=willowbrook-mall-tx-events;promotile;pet-night-with-the-easter-bunny-save-30-on-pet-photos-learn-more

PETSMART
Saturday, April 8th
12-4 PM
Most Greater Houston locations (see link below to confirm your location)
https://www.petsmart.com/store-locator/store/?storeID=1107

The Galleria
Sunday, April 9th
7-8 PM
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-galleria/stream/every-pet-loves-the-easter-bunny-4924374

Events for all Ages
The Galleria: An Extra Special Bunny
Description: An Extra Special Bunny is a private event for children with special needs and their families
Sunday, March 26th
9-10:30 AM (Level 1, near Nordstrom)
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-galleria/stream/an-extra-special-bunny-4921391

Memorial City Mall: Bunny Cares
Description: Bunny Cares is a sensory-friendly opportunity for children with special needs to enjoy a time to visit the Easter Bunny with their family
Sunday, April 2nd
9-11 AM
http://www.memorialcity.com/events/#

The Galleria: Easter Egg Hunt at Hanna Andersson
Description: Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 8th
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-galleria/stores/hanna-andersson/stream/easter-egg-hunt-at-hanna-andersson-4954132

Discovery Green: Toddler Tuesday EGG-cellent Easter
Description: Easter parade and Easter bunny photos
Tuesday, April 11th
10:30 AM-12:30 PM
http://www.discoverygreen.com/1303547

Houston Zoo: Animal Egg Hunt
Description: Animals participate in their very own Easter egg hunt
Friday, April 14th
9 AM-3 PM
http://www.houstonzoo.org/animal-egg-hunt/

The Square at Memorial City: Easter Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt
Description: Egg hunt, face painting, balloon art, treats, crafts
Saturday, April 15th
2-4 PM
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/memorial-city-easter-eggstravaganza-egg-hunt-tickets-32484512050?aff=es2

The Galleria and Katy Mills Mall: Rainforest Café Easter Adventure
Description: Breakfast, egg hunt, goodie bags, Easter raffle
Saturday, April 15th
8-10 AM
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cha-chas-egg-cellent-easter-adventure-houston-galleria-tickets-32282574048
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cha-chas-egg-cellent-easter-adventure-katy-mills-tickets-32291291121

This year the online dating market is expected to be worth 415.3 million dollars with approximately 1,000 new online services being introduced annually. Online dating sites have become extremely prevalent over the last decade. That being said, 15% of U.S. adults report using online dating sites to find romance.

The question you should be asking yourself is, are you finding romance or opening your heart to an online scam? Romantic or frantic. More often than you probably think, people are getting scammed online while trying to find a companion. They’re being manipulated into financial loss, Islamic terrorism and much more. Criminals create fake profiles to reel in these online victims to confiscate money, morals, personal belongings, etc.

Many relationships start online by exchanging basic information, traits, interests, history, etc. The next phase is where it usually takes a turn for the worst. Sometimes months will go by before this next phase even occurs so don’t let your guard down. The scammer will initially form a connection with the victim and possibly even send them gifts before taking the next steps. What you need to be on the lookout for is the next phase—when your online “date” begins to ask you for money but in a ‘masked’ form. Whether it be money they need for traveling expenses to come see you or a sick family member they can’t afford to medicate, this is your indicator to STOP all forms of communication.

The individual may begin their scam by encouraging your form of communication to switch from the dating site to a social media site, email, or chatting app; this allows your communication to become more intimate and unprotected. They may also confess immediate feelings of love towards you or have a profile photo that resembles a glamour magazine or something even more unrealistic. These are all signs of frantic, not romantic! At some point during this phase, the online scammer will begin requesting money and it is your job to say NO. They may even ask you to cask checks for them or forward them packages that they don’t legally have access too. These are all immediate signs of a dating scam.

Never send money to someone you haven’t met before. The average financial loss from a dating scam is 5,000-10,000 dollars. The chances of you recovering those funds are slim and the chances of that online “date” being legitimate are even slimmer. Also, never provide an online “date” with your financial status. That shouldn’t be a make or break question for beginning a relationship so if they’re asking, it’s fishy. Approximately 70% of online victims are women with the most common target being women over 40 who are divorced, widowed or disabled. Scammers will go online and create their profiles after studying yours so they match up and even you might reach out to them first.

Don’t let that age group fool you though, young adults are using these sites more than ever. With Tinder, OkCupid, Happn, Bumble, and many more dating apps available, 27% of the adults using dating sites are 18-24 years of age. Be very careful.

Another form of online manipulation is Islamic terrorism recruitment. These scammers are recruiting youth by using romance and marriage as incentives. Confessing their love and immediate feelings towards you is a warning sign. According to an article in the New York Times, Islamic studies show this as a terrorist recruitment tactic as they present marriage and companionship to reel in these victims.

Here are some tips on how to keep yourself clear of these online scammers:

• Stick to nationally known online dating sites with valuable reputations
• NEVER send/wire any money to someone you just met online
• If you think you have been victimized, file a report
• Don’t open any attachments sent over to you
• Keep your form of communication through the dating website and do not provide any other form of communication until meeting in person
• Pay attention to language and watch for signs of bad spelling, grammar, etc. This could mean they’re overseas
• Don’t purse anything too long before meeting in person
• Don’t let your guard down! Even months into the relationship, keep your eyes open!

Crime Stoppers of Houston hosted the 3^rd annual Parent’s Against Crime Tootsies Prom event on Sunday, March 5^th. With this year’s motto being Keep Calm and Think Prom, we successfully educated over 65 junior and senior girls and their parents on Prom safety. Tootsies kindly allows us to host this event in their store every Spring. It is a great way for the girls to get free Prom education and shop for their dresses all in one afternoon.

Though it was an extremely rainy Sunday, that didn’t stop these young women and their parents from joining us for this educational event. As guests arrived, Del Frisco’s Grille and Nothing Bundt Cakes generously offered light bites and refreshments while guests mingled and shopped around the store. Organizations like Leading Ladies and National Charity League came in groups making it fun for not only parents and their daughters, but organized Houston groups as well.

Panelists ADA Bianca Roberson, Safe School Manager Michelle Sacks, 2016 Miss Houston Logan Lester and Tootsies Thamer Favor Magee spoke to the girls on several topics including drinking and drug laws, social media content, safety and security measures and much more. Panelists stressed the importance of making the right choices and associating yourself with the right group of friends. The choices you make now control your path after school including jobs, colleges, sororities, etc.  Following the discussion, Lester and Magee hosted a mini fashion show that allowed the girls to see some of the latest Prom trends, styles and fashion tips. Models, Hannah Rickard and Haley Durst, had their hair and makeup done by Edward Sanchez who spoke to the girls on hair and makeup trends. Rickard and Durst modeled six different looks as they walked the runway.

Swag bags were given to all guests full of goodies donated from local businesses including Bayou City Art Festival, Beauty & Wellness Serenity Galleria Spa, Dish Society, GloGirl, Mister French’s Bakery, Neuro, Soul Cycle and Tootsies. Included in the bags were Crime Stoppers Prom safety tips, pens and Tip Line cards. Aside from the swag bags, a raffle was also drawn with giveaways from Beauty & Wellness Serenity Galleria Spa, Joy Box, Laura Windsor Jewelry, Snap Kitchen and Tootsies.

We ended the fun afternoon with shopping and friends as the girls found the perfect Prom wardrobe and left with a positive Prom mindset.

Click here for some impressions of the great afternoon we shared on facebook.

Technology has changed the world in many ways. We now have access to more information than ever before. All of this newfound access, however, can also make it difficult to protect ourselves from identity theft and data breach.

According to a recent Morgan Stanley Investor Pulse Poll, Houston investors rank identity theft as both the issue they’re most concerned about and the issue they feel they are most likely to be impacted by —even ranking ahead of terrorism and a major illness in one’s household.

Most (81%) say that, with changing technology, it is difficult to know how best to protect themselves from identity theft. And while a majority (69%) feel they are doing enough to protect themselves from identity theft, far fewer subscribe to relevant services like credit score (28%) or personal identity (24%) monitoring services or online password managers (11%).

With technology constantly changing, it can be hard to know what steps to take to protect yourself from identity theft and data breaches. Above all, it is important to remain alert and vigilant, and when it comes to safeguarding your identity and financial information, there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself:

Avoid Scams
Make sure to keep your guard up, especially when people contact you asking for personal information. Never divulge your credit card number or other personal information over the Internet or telephone unless you initiate the communication. While it may be exciting to hear that you’ve won a prize from a contest you don’t remember entering, it is important to think clearly and tread with caution.

Check Your Accounts
Check your bank account and credit card accounts monthly and/or sign up for text alerts each time a purchase is made. Remember that a fraudulent charge isn’t always a big purchase. The perpetrator could be charging small amounts overtime so you don’t detect the suspicious activity. Always report unauthorized financial transactions to your bank, credit card company and the police as soon as you notice them.

Protect Your Passwords
It’s easy to remember a password that’s composed of something familiar such as a name or birthday, but it also makes it easier for hackers or scammer to crack it. Make sure to use unique passwords and diversify them among your accounts. Don’t use the same password you use for your social media accounts to login for online banking. Additionally, don’t share your username or password with others.

Regularly Check your Credit History
It is common for people to check their credit history at the beginning or end of the year, but also consider a mid-year credit check. Frequently checking your credit score may help you detect fraudulent behavior that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Identity Theft Protection Service
You may want to think about investing in an identity theft protection service that notifies you when accounts are opened in your name. Make sure to extensively research services to determine the best one for you.

Act Fast
If you believe your personal information has been compromised, don’t waste time, contact your bank, credit card company or financial advisor to notify them of the breach immediately.

Above all, it’s important to always remain aware. Simply checking your accounts regularly and questioning situations where you are asked to divulge personal information can go a long way. For more information about protecting your financial assets, contact your financial advisor.

Sad but true, 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner. We cannot ignore the fact that dating violence can happen to any teen in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship, anytime, anywhere. So it’s important that we get aware and start talking.

February was Teen Dating Violence (TDV) Prevention and Awareness Month. Crime Stoppers of Houston joined the nationwide efforts and partnered with other organizations to provide the community at large with information on what Teen Dating Violence is, what it may look like and what we can do to prevent it from happening:

• Download our TDV prevention flyer here
• Read the informative blog by Dr. Jeff Temple, professor at UTMB Healthhere
• Learn about a victim’s experience and perspective here

In her weekly blog on The Buzz Magazines Crime Stoppers ED Rania Mankarious touched on the high interest issue of Super Bowl Safety and how to stay safe on Facebook. Together with Brian Allen, Director of Security and Emergency Management at Galena Park ISD, she also discussed the importance of creating safety awareness in our kids with Freddy Cruz on 104.1 KRBE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr8UR5natCA&feature=youtu.be).

Beyond outreach efforts to educate Houstonians on various safety concerns we were busy meeting with others in the community who support crime prevention in our city. Among others we attended the NFL Verizon Unsung Heroes Luncheon dedicated to ending domestic violence. Crime Stoppers and countless other local domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations and shelters were recognized with this special luncheon. At the 22^nd Annual Campus Crime Stoppers Conference in Pariswe gathered with Crime Stoppers board members, student board members, staff, administrators, law enforcement coordinators and volunteers from all around Texas for this educational experience that provides networking and training opportunities. Later in the month we were invited to speak at KBR, Inc.’s Monthly Volunteer Council Meetingand had the opportunity to attend the very informative drug course “You Can’t Stop What You Don’t Know” facilitated by Tall Cop Says Stop to learn about current alcohol, drug and concealment trends, and identifiers.

On February 27 the first Crime Stoppers of Houston’s television showaired on The NUDU 28.10. Every week the show features unsolved crimes that have occurred recently and we talk with victims and law enforcement. Please tune in Mondays at 9:00pm to stay updated (digital signal, LIVE on Facebook on either our #CrimeStoppersofHouston page or The NUDU 28.10’s page).

Apart from our crime prevention and safety education efforts this past month we continued working closely with Houston’s law enforcement to get criminals off our streets and behind bars:

• Press conference together with family members, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Gonzalez and media partners to announce an increased reward of up to $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and/or charges on the suspect in the murder case of 19-year old Frank Medrano.
• Press conference in partnership with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office hosted a press conference to ask for the public’s help in identifying three suspects responsible for Fail to Stop and Render Aid Fatality accident that killed Juan Manuel Cano.
• Live press conference with Javier Flores’ family and HPD providing new images of the suspect and announcing the increased $40k reward.

For detailed numbers on our Tip Line please read below:

During the month of February the Crime Stoppers Tip Line:

• Received 619 tips
  • 6 tips – Solved felony cases
  • 26 tips – Executed felony warrants
• Arrested 28 suspects
• Solved/executed 32 cases
• Cleared 24 offense reports
• Paid 29 anonymous tipsters
• Solved 4 school cases

Below is one of the case solved by Crime Stoppers in February:

After school on 2/7/17, a 9th Grade student told other students of his plan to place bombs in the school’s cafeteria on the following day (2/8/17). The 9th grader went on to say that after the bombs exploded, and while the students were fleeing the building, they would be “mowed down” (meaning shot).
A tipster called Crime Stoppers on 2/8/17 and provided information that a 9th grade juvenile at Deer Park North High School shared a plan to bomb and shoot at his school. The tipster did not know the number of bombs the juvenile allegedly had, nor did the tipster know if the juvenile was working alone, or with accomplices. They only reported what the juvenile was heard saying after school.  
An investigator immediately contacted Deer Park North High School, and provided all of the tip information to a Deer Park PD campus officer on 2/8/17 for review and follow-up. Crime Stoppers was notified on 2/8/17 at 1235 hours that the listed juvenile was arrested for 3rd Degree Felony Terroristic Threat and charged. No explosive devices were discovered on the school campus. The juvenile suspect was held at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center for a period of days and then released into the custody of his parents. This plot was thwarted and the juvenile suspect was arrested due to the Crime Stoppers tip.

During the month of February, Crime Stoppers of Houston:

• Held 53 Safe School presentations and 2 trainings
  • Trained 3,056 students
  • Reached 169 teachers/law enforcement members
  • Reached 85 parents