Don’t fall victim to Social Media Burglary!

Published 4.9.2017 in the Blog.

With statistics showing that one in five people post about being away on social media*, do savvy criminals have another way of targeting homes?

Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have become part of everyday life for many. But the modern-day burglar is now cashing in on the global fixation of sharing online.

Criminals use social media too and the urge to ‘check in’ at your favourite holiday hotspot or post your summer ‘selfie’ could be putting your home at risk. 

1. Who’s following you?

Before posting online, check your privacy settings on all of your social media accounts. Set your Facebook profile to ‘friends only’ and ‘protect your tweets’ on Twitter to control who can view your profile.

2. Don’t share too much

As tempting as it may be to post while you’re away, the safest option would be to wait until you’re home.

The same goes for posting about upcoming trips. You wouldn’t put a sign on your front door telling the whole street you plan to be away for a few weeks, so avoid doing the same on the internet.

3. Turn your location off 

Bear in mind that even if you don’t physically post about your holiday, social media sites and apps on GPS-enabled smartphones can reveal your whereabouts. It’s a good idea to turn off the location settings to avoid sharing your location with your followers.

4. How personal is your profile?

Take some time to check what information is public on your social media profiles. Keep your phone number and address private.  

5. Don’t post about your belongings  

Sharing pictures about your expensive gifts could make you a target for potential burglary – simply by letting criminals see what belongings you have before even stepping foot in your house.

Remember, if being burgled wasn’t bad enough, sharing your holiday activity on social media could affect you claiming on your home insurance policy.  

Finally before you leave for your adventure away, make your home look lived in to help deter the opportunist burglar.

Piles of unopened letters, uncut lawn, curtains drawn all night are tell-tale signs that your home is unoccupied. Arrange for a trusted neighbour or friend to check up on your home when you’re away.

For more top tips how to avoid returning home to a nasty surprise head here. 

*Survey of 2000 people in July 2017