According
to FBI
crime reports,
Nevada ranked number 6 on the list of states with the most home
burglaries per 100,000 residents in 2017. While there are numerous
ways to help prevent home burglary to protect your family and
personal belongings, one important way is to use social media
accounts very cautiously. After all, 78%
of home burglars have
used social media to enable their home invasions.
Thankfully,
you don't have to stop using social media altogether to keep
your home and family safe.
Instead, follow these four tips for enjoying your social media
accounts without making your home more likely to be burglarized at
the same time.
Only
Accept Friend and Follow Requests from People You Know
You
may have gotten used to accepting every social media friend and
follow request sent to you, even if you don't recognize the names
and/or faces of the people sending these requests.
However,
realize that not every request could be sent with good intentions. In
fact, one could be a home intruder looking to gain more information
about you and your home they can use to their advantage. This
information can include when your family is likely to be away from
home, what expensive items you have inside your home, and other
information, such as the layout of your home.
Stay
on the safe side and vet every new social media "friend" or
"follower" well before you allow them access to your
private information and photos.
Don't
Announce When You Leave Home
Even
if you vet your social media friends and followers well, you never
know if an old friend or acquaintance is as trustworthy as you may
remember them. For that reason, don't post an announcement on your
social media profiles every time you leave home.
A
home burglar can use those announcements to decide when it is the
best time to strike. In addition, while most home burglars attempt to
get in and out of a home in a quick 10 minutes to avoid detection, a
home intruder who suspects you will be away from home for a long
period of time may spend more time in your home stealing even more
items.
Post
Vacation and Event Photos After You Get Home
It
can be exciting to post photos right after you take them while you
are on vacation or attending big events away from home. However, this
habit can be put your home security at risk. When potential home
burglars spot a vacation photo on your social media profile, they
then know your home is unoccupied and easier to get in and out of
undetected by your family.
Instead,
post vacation and event photos after you return home. Not only will
this help keep your home safe from intruders while away, but it can
also give you a much-needed vacation from social media that everyone
needs in this day and age.
Check
an Event's Privacy Status Before Responding to an Online Invite
Some
social media platforms allow users to send event invites through the
platform and have those invited RSVP right on the social media
website. While all social media websites vary, some allow this
information to be accessible to the general public.
If
a potential home invader sees that you are scheduled to attend an
event during a specific day and time, they will then know when your
home may be empty and easier to burglarize.
Respond
to online social media event invitations with caution. When in doubt,
don't RSVP publicly, but instead send a personal message to the event
holder or contact them in person to confirm whether you will be
attending the event or not.
Keep
these tips in mind when utilizing social media to help protect your
home and family from home intruders. Contact the staff at All Pro
Security for more suggestions on how to keep your home safe and
secure in today's digital age.
