Everyone knows that certain things are common sense if you’re going away — Stop the newspapers, hold the mail, time the lights, set an alarm if you have one, get someone to mow the lawn or shovel, ask a neighbor to look over once in a while, or a friend to stop by. There are lots of old common-sense initiatives you can take to make your home less vulnerable to thieves while you’re not there, and there are some that can invite thieves in — My Space, Facebook and Twitter and the like.
I thought about this recently when I was guilty myself, posting a breezy comment about how I was off to warmer climes and would be back in town in time for a local event.
What’s wrong with that? In one sentence I had told anyone, including those with nefarious purposes, that (a) my house would soon be vacated, and that (b) I would not return until a certain date.
Hmmm. Reading on, a thief might be able to deduce from some web pages I’ve seen that a person likes expensive jewelry, owns a luxury car, has an extravagant home, or any number of other details that scream, “Steal me, rob me, cheat me blind!” I’ve seen folks brag online about boats they’ve bought, shopping sprees they’ve gone on, or even putting a price tag to expensive vacations (“We spent $20,000 to tour six countries, but it was worth it”). Most of these folks are really smart people, but sharing those details that way is just dumb, dumb, dumb.
Thus far, most ‘internet safety’ articles concern con artists and scammers who use online information to clean out your bank account, sell you fictitious goods or open credit card accounts in your name. But think about it – thieves used to scan newspapers for wedding and funeral notices to know when to hit a house. Experience has shown that criminals are extremely flexible and adaptable, so it won’t be long before modern day thieves catch on to the ease of electronic surveillance and we fall victim to online ‘friends,’ or just those taking a detour through our site, that don’t have the best intentions.
I thought about this the other day when, for about the dozenth time I got a friend inquiry from someone I’d never heard of. Not to offend, but if I don’t recognize your name, why would I consider you friend (or allow you access to my private thoughts or personal details)?
So, in this web-enabled world, a new checklist might include these safeguards:
Set up webpages so that access is granted only to those you allow, those you trust.
Keep certain details, such as vacation plans, length of stay, etc. off your site. Consider telling friends in person and posting vacation details AFTER you return, if you must share.
NEVER, ever post your home address on a social networking site. (PO boxes come in handy if you want to invite written responses.)
You might want to consider not posting your last name or easily identifiable info on sites. “Laura from Annapolis” is a lot harder to pin down than “Laura Townsend Elion” in the Skipjack (made-up name just in case) neighborhood. As it is, thieves are smart and can probably find you based on that cute photo of you and the kids posed on the front porch of your house last Halloween.
Evaluate the pictures and other items you post. Do they invite crime? Do they portray wealth or detail other traits (loneliness, drinking, relationship problems) that a criminal could exploit?
Check the ‘visitor’s log’ of the site periodically, if one exists, to see who is reading your stuff.
Ask your friends not to provide your information to anyone else without asking you.
Turn down requests for access from people you don’t know or recognize. If you think it’s someone you should know, ask another friend if they recognize them.
And, in a truly sad turn of events, police nationwide are reporting more crimes involving animals — thieves stealing pets to sell them, or ransom them. So if Fido or Kitty is your best friend, don’t tell the whole world online where to find them.
I admit it’s disappointing that we often have to think the worst of people to best protect ourselves. And I resent having to think of all the felonious possibilities before I post where I’m going, but I’d also like to find Grandma’s silver still in the drawer when I return.
Certain details changed to protect the frequent travelers!
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Alot of passengers innocently ask me all the time, where do you stay on your layover in (insert any city here). I smile and say, sorry, for security reasons we dont like to tell the traveling public our hotel accommodations. That became even more important after 9-11.
Your comment: I thought about this recently when I was guilty myself, posting a breezy comment about how I was off to warmer climes and would be back in town in time for a local event. What’s wrong with that? In one sentence I had told anyone, including those with nefarious purposes, that (a) my house would soon be vacated, and that (b) I would not return until a certain date.
All you need is a name, town and Whitepages.com. And, you’re a potential victim. Scary huh?
Another one that one should be careful about are the quizzes and name generating games on the various social networks as they can give away a lot of details if one isn’t careful. So even if you think you’ve been really good about not revealing your identity since you aren’t using your full name, you fill out a quiz that someone sent you, that asks for personal information, like a maiden name or where do you live, you just told everyone who has access, who you are. There was one game earlier this year that went around that was going to give people a dancer name or some such thing but among the questions were, your first name, your middle name and your last name, your mother’s maiden name, where you were born and your pet and/or child’s name. People answered these questions without a thought and yet they were revealing the answers to most security questions.
I am so guilty of this. I make my husband vulnerable too. He is not the traveler and is often home while I’m at my “advertised” destination.