14 June 2023
By telling people where you are - and where you are not - you give criminals an advantage.
By telling people where you are — and where you are not — you are giving criminals a huge advantage:
- Burglars now know that your home is an easier target.
- Family members may become more susceptible to scams.
- Fraudsters can use your flight info or other details to launch a “phishing” attack on you. You receive an e-mail or text from your supposed airline about your flight... only to find out later that you have now downloaded malware or given out more personal info that can be used for identity theft.
So what to do?
- Check your social media account privacy settings to make sure you are using the most secure options available. Only let chosen friends view your account.
- Resist the urge for more followers, and only accept those people you know face-to-face as friends.
- Don't post pictures on your feeds until you return home.
- Don't post information about your flights, hotel reservations, or specific activities that you are doing. Likewise, do not “check in” from any of these locations.
- Finally, take this time to just unplug and enjoy. There will be plenty of opportunities to make your friends jealous after you return.
