Burglars love your holiday photos, warns French authority
Burglars often use social media to know when you are away so they can visit, warns the French authority for data privacy, CNIL ( Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés ).
It might be obvious but people are frequently caught out when they post photos of themselves on holiday abroad. It's like sending out a message: Our home is empty if you want to rob it.
The commission’s advice is to limit giving concrete information on social media and especially not to say when you are going on holiday.
Other advice includes:
Do not give out your holiday destination
You should not say where you are going or for how long on social media. It is also recommended not to mention the people you are travelling with, or to post your plane, train or hotel reservations online.
Burglars are on the lookout for easy prey. Those who do not lock their social accounts or who say too much are easily targeted.
Do not take pictures of inside your home
This will only help burglars to identify what they could steal during your absence.
Delete your address and switch off geo-localisation
You should not leave your address on your Facebook profile, or activate geo-localisation on Twitter. Burglars can easily associate your address and name on a search engine to find a maximum of information.
Publish your photos after your holidays
It is recommended to post pictures after and not during your stay, as this will show that you are away and burglars can take advantage of your absence to empty your home.
