Various tips and suggestions circulate online about how to avoid becoming the victim of crime, but not all are accurate.

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Pressing a sequence of keys on your cell phone will produce a serial number that can be used to disable it in case of theft. Paramedic advocates cell phone users create "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) entries in their address books, but such entries leave phones vulnerable to attack. Nine safety tips e-mail offers effective counters to being victimized in random violent crime. When being burglarized, use your car alarm to summon help. Your cell phone's "location" feature will enable searchers to find you. Heeding the advice given in a popular e-mail missive will keep you from becoming a rape victim. Home invasion criminals have gained entry to houses by pretending to be distressed persons in need of shelter from attackers. A can of wasp spray is a preferable alternative to pepper spray for protection against assailants. * Entries marked with an asterisk will display in a separate browser window.

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