Posting on social media is, most of the time, harmless. But there are some things you might be sharing that could make life a lot easier for burglars, including countdowns & geotags. These tell strangers when your place is empty and what’s worth taking. Here are twelve social media posts that may put your home at risk. Have you ever seen these before?
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Vacation countdowns with exact dates
Sharing the fact that it’s only 7 days until your Hawaii vacation or simply posting an airport selfie shouldn’t be dangerous. Unfortunately, many burglars take it as an RSVP. They don’t need to guess when you’ll be gone because you’ve just told them. Some of them actually look specifically for posts about vacations. They’ll search hashtags like “#vacationmode” to find people nearby who aren’t going to be home. Don’t be their next victim.
Boarding pass photos with readable codes
Many airlines tell people not to post photos of their boarding passes. But some people still do. Boarding passes include barcodes that may show your full itinerary & contact information when someone scans them. They’ll know exactly when you’re leaving. By extension, they’ll also know exactly when you’re not home, giving them the perfect opportunity to go snooping.
Fitness app routes starting at home
Apps like Strava & MapMyRun allow you to share your running route on social media. Don’t do it. You’ll likely start & end your run at your front door, and these apps usually drop a starting pin right on your driveway. They’ll also include the time. Burglars love to see this because they know when exactly you’ll be out of the house & approximately how much time they have to look around. Do you really want them to know that?
Live posts from far-from-home events
Don’t feel guilty about sharing a photo during a concert or a wedding. But perhaps wait until after the event to share it. Uploading event photos when they happen tells other people that you’re currently away from your house, and that gives thieves an opportunity to break in. You should also avoid sharing funeral details publicly. Telling people the exact times of the proceedings makes it far easier for anyone paying attention to when you’re not at home.
Real estate listing shares of your place
It’s great that your old house looks amazing online. However, listing photos often show the good stuff to burglars, like door locks & alarm boxes. They may also show window types and even what kind of fence you have. Do you really want this getting out there? As soon as people reshare the link, that info spreads way past the realtor site & stays out there for anyone curious.
“New toy” unboxings with serials and rooms
There’s often a moment when someone posts their shiny new gadget on the coffee table. It sure looks cool. But zoom in and you’ll be able to see serial numbers & reflections in the TV, which thieves are looking for. They’ll be able to know what model you bought & where it’s sitting relatively quickly.
Routine check-ins at the same hour
Everyone’s got a rhythm. But when it’s public, that rhythm of you telling the world that you go to the gym at six every morning becomes a pattern. Burglars realize that means your house is empty from 6 to 7 daily. That’s prime stealing time.
Porch photos showing packages piling up
We’ve all seen those holiday haul pictures of boxes stacked to the heavens, and it’s quite fun for followers. Yet it’s also showing off a porch full of unguarded stuff, and thieves scroll through those posts the same way that most other people scroll through Zillow photos. They’re not guessing where the good places are. Now, you’ve told them exactly where they are.
Photos that reveal alarm keypads and codes
Honestly, it’s quite odd how often people show off their new entryway or pictures of how they’ve finally finished painting. And right there in the corner is the alarm keypad. Or worse, it could be a close-up of the brand label, which tells potential strangers a lot more than you think. They’ll know about the placement & model, maybe even a four-digit smudge pattern.
Road-trip reels with geotags across states
Usually, the road-trip posts begin in a cute way. But to anyone watching, they’re a breadcrumb trail of how far you are from home & how long you’ll be gone. Tagging your location a few days later is even worse. Now, it’s crystal clear your house hasn’t seen you in days, and it becomes a GPS for burglars, basically.
Moving day countdowns & empty-home tours
People get excited to move, so they start sharing updates of boxes stacked up & dates circled on the calendar. All that information spells out when no one’s around. Really, the entire world knows what the inside looks like, and even a quick video can show where doors & windows are. It’s a lot more information than you might think.
Photos that show your house keys
A casual key selfie doesn’t seem risky until you remember how clear phone cameras are now. You can copy keys from a single photo, even from a few feet away. Once that picture’s online, it’s out there for good. Digital copies are a lot easier to make than most people think & that’s why you should keep this information private.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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