A recent poll of 50 ex-burglars in the UK reveals that thieves do indeed use social media to plan burglaries.
First, they might use Google Street View to case the location, then they’ll monitor social media to get an idea of the residents’ daily schedule. That’s because social media users frequently post updates that give clues to their work schedules, habits and upcoming vacations. Checking in through services like Foursquare can provide up-top-the-minute confirmation that a resident is not at home.
Security experts advise people to follow these guidelines to make your home more “Social Media Safe.”
- Keep your social profiles as private as possible. The Facebook Privacy Guide can provide help in adjusting your settings to optimize privacy for that particular social network.
- Minimize check-ins through location-based social media such as Foursquare.
- Don’t add anyone to your social network if you haven’t actually met that person in “real life.” This can also go for using apps like Upleap which increase your followers, but you should check their review first before using them. The same applies to any other growth service that you may choose to employ in order to enhance your social media presence. Whether you decide on Pathsocial or another app like it, make sure you check out the reviews and all the information available about them to avoid getting scammed.
- Resist the urge to talk about your upcoming vacation via Facebook, Twitter and other social media venues.
- Don’t post photos of valuables in your home.
- Try not to provide clues, via photos, profile info or updates, to the actual location of your home.
Click the infographic below to view it at a larger size.
Social Media Safety Infographic provided by CreditSesame.com.
