Social media platforms have become the new target for today’s online burglars. Burglars are increasingly using social media to virtually case potential targets, and people should be wary about posting holiday plans online.

People are not as careful as they should be with their personal information, as social media becomes ever more present in modern life.

By carelessly accepting friend requests or making posts visible to everyone, you can unwittingly provide all the information a would-be-thief could ask for with their social media posts.

Websites like Google Maps allow burglars to see photographs of all the individual houses on a street without ever having to show their faces, letting them gauge security and spot easy access points like side-entrances before arriving on the scene.

A recent UK survey conducted on burglars showed four out of five of them said they had used social media. One of the criminals surveyed, said that we are “living in the age of the digital criminal” and people are taking advantage of social media to access information about would-be victims.

These are the social media behaviours to watch out for:

Holiday countdowns. Posting that you can’t wait for your trip in a seven days means that the perfect time to rob your house in in eight days.
Location check-ins. Services like Facebook let you geo-tag yourself, letting would-be thieves know exactly where you when you’re out of the house.
Photos of the inside of your house: A few photos of your living room and bedrooms can be enough for people to learn the layout of your home, letting them plan a quick in-and-out raid.
Public RSVPs: Letting the world know that you’re going to a party from 6 – 10pm on July the 29th also lets unscrupulous people know exactly when you’ll be gone from the house.

If you think you need any help keeping safe online then feel free to call us today on 09 4448823 or send us an email at enquiries@advancedcomputers.co.nz and we are happy to give you more advice in detail.