It’s the summer holiday season, and fans of social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram will be busy posting tantalising snaps from sunny seaside locations. These platforms provide a natural outlet to record where we are and what we are up to, so that we can keep up with friends and family, or just make our followers jealous!
However, you may be unwittingly leaving your home at risk of a break-in if you are not cautious about what and how you post. Here are some types of posts that you should avoid on social media to help keep your home safe while you are away.
- Tagging your location
Location tagging has its uses, but unfortunately professional burglars will make use of it for nefarious purposes. They will trawl social media profiles for clues as to where people live in their target area, and follow through with regular stalking to track their whereabouts. Advertising that you are away from home for a week or two is a gift for them.
When you are on holiday, avoid geotagging features and wait until you get home to tell everyone where you have been. Even if you are not away overnight, be cautious about ever making your current location traceable through your social media posts.
- Using the #bragging hashtag
On Instagram and TikTok, it is fashionable to use the #bragging hashtag to draw attention to your cool holiday location or spendy new clothes. However, this is also a magnet for more than just your envious mates. Keen eyed thieves will filter posts for this type of hashtag to alert them to goods that might be worth stealing, or to discover your current location.
- Moving home posts
Moving house is a major life event, and it is natural to want to record your adventure on social media. However, this can also alert thieves to the fact that you have just moved in and all your worldly goods will mostly still be sitting in conveniently packed boxes. You will not have had time to find hiding places for valuables or review the security of the property.
Some people even suggest that posting snaps of your new keys is risky, because thieves can trace the outline and have copies made. There is some debate as to whether this is actually feasible or not, but it is best to be on the safe side.
- Unedited selfies
Even an innocent selfie or pic of your cat can inadvertently reveal the contents of your home in the background. Therefore it is best to always filter the background or use a neutral blank wall.
- How to stay safe online
The most obvious step you can take is to set your social media accounts to private, so that only friends and family can see your posts, and decline requests from unknown users. Despite this, it is estimated that only 25% of accounts are private. Avoid using location tracking features, and wait until you get home before posting about a holiday or trip out.
If you are looking for intruder alarms in Slough, please get in touch with us today.
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