Fraud

Do the Bad Guys Know No One’s Home?

By Kim Boatman

It’s not an invitation you would intentionally extend. But when you post details about upcoming trips, you could be inviting criminals to target you and your home.

At least, that’s what the creators of PleaseRobMe.com think. The website, which launched in February, received criticism after it posted messages people had shared on social networks like Facebook and Foursquare (a new location-sharing service) that included details about where they were. PleaseRobMe.com showed these posts to demonstrate just how easy it is for a thief to know you’re away from home or for a criminal to track your daily movements.

Who knows where you are?
According to research by British insurance company Legal & General, 38 percent of social networking users have posted status updates revealing vacation plans, and 33 percent have shared information about weekend trips. Reformed thief and British TV star Michael Fraser, who helped develop the report, calls all this sharing “Internet shopping for burglars.”

As social networks and their capabilities evolve rapidly, it’s important to consider the ramifications of location over-sharing, says Jason Falls, a social media consultant in Louisville, Ky. Before you post details about that upcoming family vacation or business trip, “[ask yourself] who you want to know, where you are and why,” suggests Falls.

Protect yourself
“I don’t think we need to be irrational with our fears,” says Falls, “but we should use some basic logic with these services.” Take these steps to guard against over-sharing:

• Clean your Facebook profile. It might seem like a no-brainer, but be sure to remove addresses and phone numbers from your Facebook profile, advise the experts. And save those vacation posts for after the trip!
• Review privacy policies and settings. You can customize your privacy settings on social networking services like Foursquare. But make sure you revisit your settings and the company’s policy frequently, because they often change, says Falls.
• Think about where and when you check in. Take care not to establish a public pattern for your days, says Falls. Never check in at home or your child’s school.
• Protect friends’ privacy. Avoid checking in at friends’ homes and don’t discuss your friends in your posts. It’s not fair to compromise their privacy without asking.
• Know what your kids are posting. Preteens and teens are growing up in a world where it’s normal to post their lives online. As a parent, you should know what social platforms your kids use, and you should teach them to be cautious with location-based posts.
• Ask your friends not to share too much. You might lock down your own privacy settings, but what about your friend who mentions you on her Facebook page? Be aware of what’s out there about you and ask friends to delete anything you’re not comfortable with.
• Don’t “friend” casually. Even though casual acquaintances may seem friendly enough in person, if you don’t really know someone, don’t “friend” him or her online.
• Know how the service works. Doing your homework about how a service works is critical. For instance, you can limit your Foursquare posts to friends, but if you’re a venue’s “mayor” (the person who’s posted most often from that location), you’ll be listed publicly, notes Falls.

Most important, says Falls, is to carve out some aspects of your life that you simply don’t share online. “It’s OK not to share everything. Know and understand that anything you put on a social network may become public,” he says. “Assume there’s a chance [it will go public], and that’s a pretty good way to govern your behavior.”