Too Much Socializing is an Invitation to Trouble

In a day and age when home and Internet security is challenged regularly by criminals, what are you doing to lessen the odds you and/or loved ones will become victims?

When it comes to the former, preventing criminals from getting into your residence takes some doing, but you can be pro-active instead of reactive in order to thwart their attempts.

As for Internet security, a little prevention before a potential problem arises is a great means by which to make life harder for criminals.

When it comes to both tasks at hand, social media plays a bigger role than you likely realize.

Be Pro-active and Not Reactive

While there are many good things that have come out of the Internet being available to countless people worldwide, social networking has also become a prime tool for criminals of all ages.

From thieves looking to break into residences or offices to those who choose to use cyber-bullying as a means to terrorize others, the Internet does have its dark side. How social media plays a role in all of this can be rather easily defined.

In order to lessen the chances of becoming a victim, keep the following tidbits in mind:

• Don’t be too talkative – You know how you like to tell family and friends on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. about your upcoming vacation? Stop for a moment and ask yourself if criminals are paying attention too. As more and more evidence points out, it doesn’t take a tech-savvy criminal to monitor an open Facebook or Twitter account, allowing them to discover when someone is away for a period of time. As a result, they basically have an open invitation to your residence. Tone down the social media activity so that you’re not opening you and/or loved ones up to potential problems. If you plan on being on vacation, wait until you return home to post those must-see images and commentary;
• Go social in finding the best security – If you’re an American homeowner or renter who has a home security system in place like ADT or a number of other providers, you are certainly not alone. One of the ways to locate the best provider for your needs is by using social media. Look to see what others are saying on social networking sites about their home security system experiences. You can also go to the Twitter, Facebook and other such social pages of providers to learn more about the company, its products, its customer service approach and more. Finally, even give YouTube a look, as it is a great social site to watch videos and home security measures you should be installing;
• Loose lips sink ships – One of the worst things you can do is play right into the hands of criminals. Those individuals or groups who are identity thieves will be more than happy when you use social media to talk about your private financial matters. Even simple mistakes like discussing on Facebook or other social sites where you have your financial accounts at etc. can be a recipe for disaster. Any personal information should remain just that, personal.

Social media has myriad of benefits, but only when properly used.

Being too social can be just what criminals are looking for, so know when and where to be social.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

from Darlene Milligan http://ift.tt/1YCAEWr via transformational marketing
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