You are all set for a vacation after being cooped up inside for a long time due to the pandemic. Are you unknowingly putting your home at risk in your excitement to share the great news with friends on social media? Are your posts on social media platforms unwittingly welcoming thieves to invade your home?
Burglars scout vulnerable neighbourhoods in Perth and watch out for tell-tale signs that indicate you are away – messy lawns, lights that are off at all times and, more importantly, your social media updates.
To ensure your home safety and security are not compromised by social media updates during vacation, you need to take adequate precautions. Read on to discover how you can do that.
Home security and Social Media – Do’s and Dont’s
To fully enjoy your vacation, you need to be stress-free when you are miles away from home. Use these tips to indulge in a stress-free holiday and ensure that your social media activities do not come back to haunt you.
1. Do not publicly announce your vacation plans
Refrain from posting updates about an upcoming trip or including an approximate period when you will be away. In the hands of the wrong people, this information will give them ample time to plan and execute a break-in with minimum risk. If close friends or family members need to be informed of your vacation, call them up instead.
2. Post your pictures after the trip
With all the hype surrounding fabulous holiday pictures on Instagram, it can be tempting to keep posting pictures and keep the likes and comments coming in. Although your posts may be visible only to a select group, one errant sharing of the post by a friend or family member can tip off burglars. Iconic landmarks, place tags or picture descriptions too can easily give away your location and offer thieves a ‘vacant house’ alert. Wait until you return to flood your social media account with those incredible holiday snaps.
3. Never disclose location on social media updates
If you do post some harmless selfies on social media during the trip, make sure place tags are turned off. While installing apps, you may have absent-mindedly granted permission to turn on location settings. Using these apps during vacation can make it public that you are far away from home. The solution? Review your apps and change the settings if any of these automatically turns on the GPS of your phone.
4. Lay down strict ground rules regarding social media use
Children and young adults are often unaware of the risks attached to social media updates that disclose their location. If you simply ask them to stop posting vacation updates, you are likely to receive the cliché ‘Everyone does that, why not us’ retort.
Instead, sit down for a talk and make sure everyone in your family understands the implications of social media updates featuring location hints. Rather than altogether banning social media activity during the trip, offer them the option to check with you before posting something online.
Read our blog for more tips on keeping your home secure while you are away.
Keep your travel plans offline. And get those locks checked before you go
Getting back from a wonderful vacation to find your home burgled can be extremely devastating. Why take such a big risk when you can easily prevent it by using the tips mentioned above? Updating your Social Media can be tempting. But keep reminding yourself that you are doing your house a huge favour by creating the impression that you are home. These tips on home safety and social media updates during vacation will help ensure that your home and belongings remain secure. And while you are securing your home, remember to check if all the locks, burglar alarms and safety devices are in good condition. Need to get your locks checked before you leave? Speak to us at 0492 360 504 for a quick locksmith visit if you are in Innaloo, Doubleview, Wembley, Balcatta, Carine or Duncraig. We can also be reached at our contact page for locksmith services in Perth.