myriam.page
Jun 01, 2022
The Independent
The internet is a wonderful thing. We get to talk to our loved ones no matter where we are, create and share Love Island memes, and become worryingly obsessed about Binley Mega Chippy.
But, unfortunately, it does come with its major drawbacks, as it can also make you far more vulnerable to being burgled.
Posting a wholesome snap of you on holiday and tagging your location allows burglars to scan for potential victims by seeing who is home and who isn't. Basically, imagine if Kevin McAllister's mum had posted a cheeky pic of the wing of the airplane and captioned it "can't wait for a relaxing holiday far away from Chicago!! #Paris #Holiday #OhCrapIThinkIleftTheGarageOpen". Kevin would have been royally screwed.
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According to the New York Post, a survey taken in 2019 found that 1 in 12 Brits were burgled while on holiday after bragging about their getaways on social media and tagging their location.
And, as if being burgled wasn't bad enough, making posts about being away from home can also invalidate your insurance. This would prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve after a burglary.
Holly Bennet, a finance expert from NerdWallet told WalesOnline, said that "if you make a claim after a break-in that happened while you were away, and the insurer checks your profile, these social media posts may not help your cause.”
Now, thankfully for all you holiday-braggers out there, there are ways around this.
Posting your holiday pictures after returning home helps to prevent burglars from seeing you as a potential target. That being said, if you're really that desperate to let SOMEONE know that you're sipping a G&T in Costa Brava, make sure to send pictures and videos directly to family and friends, or at least edit your settings so that only certain people can see your posts.
Stay safe on your holidays folks!
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