According to the FBI the summer months of July and August have the highest rates of burglaries, usually about a 10 percent increase over other times of the year. Why? Simple, summer vacation. However, with the increased usage of social media and sharing our whereabouts all day, every day - including our travel schedules - we may see this number change. Not for the better. We all know the basic vacation security rules but in today's digital world how have these rules changed and what are the NEW rules?
Sharing your vacation photos and whereabouts on social media channels during your vacation may actually be putting yourself, your home and your belongings in danger.
It may seem a bit extreme but having had two family members robbed after events - a wedding and funeral - were posted in the newspaper, each more than 30 years ago during the "print days" remembering that we're living in a digital world with a global circulation is very important.
Let's go back to the basic vacation security rules then discuss how have these rules changed and what are the NEW rules.
Traditional Vacation Security Rules of Thumb
Make it time-consuming to break into your home. Dead-bolt window and door locks can slow a burglar down. You may also obtain a discount of 2 to 5 percent on your insurance policy for installing these devices.
Loud is good. Invest in an alarm system tied to an outside service that notifies police if there is an intrusion. This investment may also reduce your insurance by 15-25 percent.
Turn off your computer and disconnect it from the Internet. If you save personal information on your computer, make sure it is difficult to access.
Valuables such as personal documents and jewelery need to be well hidden or at least kept out of sight. If possible, store these items in a safe deposit box or safe inside your home.
Light the way. Having a few lights left on or an electronic timer set up will help to protect your home while you're on vacation.
Little things like arranging to have your lawn mowed in the summer and your driveway shoveled in the winter will help your home to look like it's inhabited, especially if you're going to be away for an extended period of time.
Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail or have it held at the post office until you come back.
Hold newspaper deliveries.
Ask a trusted neighbor to notify you or authorities if they see anything unusual while you're away.
The NEW Vacation Security Rules in Today's Social Media World
The rules we mentioned above still apply but into today's Facebook and Twitter world there are a few new vacation security rules that need to be added.
Out of Office. Yes, we're all excited to go on vacation but don't rub it in or put yourself at risk. Simply note in your out of office "I'm going to be out of the office from X, returning X." No need to say, "I'm going to Italy for three weeks. Chat when I'm back."
Would you tell the solicitor who came knocking on your door earlier today when you're leaving for vacation? The exact dates? No. You shouldn't be sharing these travel schedule on Twitter, Facebook Foursquare, etc. either. Remember, we're living in a global circulation media world.
Sharing your vacation photos during your trip is fun and a great way to stay connected but people can wait to see your holiday photos when you return. By posting them during the fact you're essentially letting everyone know you're away (and your home is unprotected), and will be for awhile.
Geolocation settings on smartphones are great, but not always when you're traveling. Turn this feature off on your camera so that photos taken (and shared) do not post where you are. This may not only protect your home but yourself while you're on the road.
Secure WiFi. I've had my phone compromised by connecting to a free wifi connection. I learned later that evening my email accounts had been hacked into and I had become a spammer. Ask your hotel for its wifi information, if you're at a restaurant or bar most places will allow you to connect to their wifi, many have it open. Make sure to ask your servers though which one is safe to connect to.
Try not to bank online when you're traveling. This may be difficult to do, if so try to plugin to a landline or login to a secure WiFi connection. FYI, Starbucks and other coffee houses don't typically have secure networks.
Leverage the Cloud to back-up your content. Buglers will take your computers and backup drives so all those family photos and videos will be gone. They're safe up there in the Cloud. And if you ever needed to access any content while on the road, you have access to them (on any device) when using the Cloud.
Don't put your travel dates online. That's just announcing when a burglars prime times are to hit your place. It's great to tell people you're heading to Italy or Disney and you're so excited. Just don't say when. If people ask, and you're good friends with them or they're with organizations in the destination you're visiting, send them a direct message via Twitter or Facebook. (Some restaurants or hotels may ask your travel dates to offer you a special incentive or let you know about an event taking place.)
Sharing your vacation photos and whereabouts on social media channels during your vacation may actually be putting yourself, your home and your belongings in danger.
It may seem a bit extreme but having had two family members robbed after events - a wedding and funeral - were posted in the newspaper, each more than 30 years ago during the "print days" remembering that we're living in a digital world with a global circulation is very important.
Let's go back to the basic vacation security rules then discuss how have these rules changed and what are the NEW rules.
Traditional Vacation Security Rules of Thumb
Make it time-consuming to break into your home. Dead-bolt window and door locks can slow a burglar down. You may also obtain a discount of 2 to 5 percent on your insurance policy for installing these devices.
Loud is good. Invest in an alarm system tied to an outside service that notifies police if there is an intrusion. This investment may also reduce your insurance by 15-25 percent.
Turn off your computer and disconnect it from the Internet. If you save personal information on your computer, make sure it is difficult to access.
Valuables such as personal documents and jewelery need to be well hidden or at least kept out of sight. If possible, store these items in a safe deposit box or safe inside your home.
Light the way. Having a few lights left on or an electronic timer set up will help to protect your home while you're on vacation.
Little things like arranging to have your lawn mowed in the summer and your driveway shoveled in the winter will help your home to look like it's inhabited, especially if you're going to be away for an extended period of time.
Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail or have it held at the post office until you come back.
Hold newspaper deliveries.
Ask a trusted neighbor to notify you or authorities if they see anything unusual while you're away.
The NEW Vacation Security Rules in Today's Social Media World
The rules we mentioned above still apply but into today's Facebook and Twitter world there are a few new vacation security rules that need to be added.
Out of Office. Yes, we're all excited to go on vacation but don't rub it in or put yourself at risk. Simply note in your out of office "I'm going to be out of the office from X, returning X." No need to say, "I'm going to Italy for three weeks. Chat when I'm back."
Would you tell the solicitor who came knocking on your door earlier today when you're leaving for vacation? The exact dates? No. You shouldn't be sharing these travel schedule on Twitter, Facebook Foursquare, etc. either. Remember, we're living in a global circulation media world.
Sharing your vacation photos during your trip is fun and a great way to stay connected but people can wait to see your holiday photos when you return. By posting them during the fact you're essentially letting everyone know you're away (and your home is unprotected), and will be for awhile.
Geolocation settings on smartphones are great, but not always when you're traveling. Turn this feature off on your camera so that photos taken (and shared) do not post where you are. This may not only protect your home but yourself while you're on the road.
Secure WiFi. I've had my phone compromised by connecting to a free wifi connection. I learned later that evening my email accounts had been hacked into and I had become a spammer. Ask your hotel for its wifi information, if you're at a restaurant or bar most places will allow you to connect to their wifi, many have it open. Make sure to ask your servers though which one is safe to connect to.
Try not to bank online when you're traveling. This may be difficult to do, if so try to plugin to a landline or login to a secure WiFi connection. FYI, Starbucks and other coffee houses don't typically have secure networks.
Leverage the Cloud to back-up your content. Buglers will take your computers and backup drives so all those family photos and videos will be gone. They're safe up there in the Cloud. And if you ever needed to access any content while on the road, you have access to them (on any device) when using the Cloud.
Don't put your travel dates online. That's just announcing when a burglars prime times are to hit your place. It's great to tell people you're heading to Italy or Disney and you're so excited. Just don't say when. If people ask, and you're good friends with them or they're with organizations in the destination you're visiting, send them a direct message via Twitter or Facebook. (Some restaurants or hotels may ask your travel dates to offer you a special incentive or let you know about an event taking place.)
About the Author:
Want to find out more about vacation security, then visit Elaine N. Schoch's site CarpeTravel.com for more travel tips, travel news and family travel tips.
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