It is common practice for many people to share details on their social media accounts of everything they are up to – and holiday time can be a favourite subject.
But a travel expert is keen to remind people of the potential dangers involved in these seemingly innocent posts. Travel Expert Tim Schmidt from All Worlds – All World Travel Blog – has warned travellers to not share the exact dates of their holiday on social media.
He says posting anything about going on holiday can highlight to a burglars that your home soon will be empty, reports The Mirror. “You might think that it’s harmless enough sharing your holiday dates online – after all surely no one knows where you live – but the internet is a tricky thing and it’s better to be safe than sorry,” says Tim.
“Avoid posting on public groups with any holiday information if you can avoid it and by that I mean the exact dates you’re going away for. All a burglar needs to know is your name and then your dates.
“They can easily find your home just by your name so be careful.” Here are Tim’s top tips to help stay safe.
Be careful asking someone to dog-sit
Often people don’t – or can’t – take their beloved pet when they go on holiday so this can mean finding a dog sitter or kennel for the duration of the holiday. Tim advises that those who need pet care, or any other task that hints at their absence, should opt for private messaging rather than public posts. This way, they can share details with trusted individuals without broadcasting them to a wider audience.
Booking a taxi for the airport on a specific date
Another simple mistake, such as asking for a taxi service to the airport on a particular date, shows a burglar exactly when a holidaymaker will be leaving their home. There are numerous taxi companies available which people can phone directly or book via their website.
Don’t share news your two-week holiday has just started
Holidaymakers love to post beach photographs on Facebook as soon as they arrive at their holiday destination but this is not always the wisest idea. Sharing on their Facebook page that they are disappearing for two weeks can be a blatant sign to burglars that their home is empty.
Any posts such as this practically invite burglars into the empty home. Tim suggests that travellers make sure their social accounts are set to private if they wish to post while away or, to be extra safe, that they simply wait until their return to post on social media.
Holiday countdowns are just as bad
There are apps which are specifically made to gather countdowns to key events in life. While it may be exciting to watch the clock tick down, posting the countdown on social media shows burglars when you will be leaving, allowing them to plan a break-in.
Don’t share personal identifiers in photographs
It can be really easy to post pictures without actually noticing what is included in the picture and available to be seen by the entire world. Personal identifiers such as boarding passes, hotel room keys or travel documents could help potential burglars to know when and where a traveller is going and for how long.
There may have been no intention to show such things in the image so keep the items hidden when taking a quick snapshot. They may contain sensitive information which could be used for identity theft or other fraudulent activities.
Don’t include the dates in your out-of-office
This is something people might not think about and including away-dates in the out-of-office email may seem harmless enough but some clever burglars may send an email specifically to obtain your out-of-office response and find out dates away from home. If Netflix series Baby Reindeer is anything to go by, it adds, people need to be very careful about the information – such as dates and phone numbers – they include.