A travel expert has warned travellers to not share the exact dates of their holiday on their social media accounts.
Travel Expert Tim Schmidt from All Worlds (All World Travel Blog) has warned that posting anything regarding your holiday on your social accounts can highlight to any potential burglars that your home will soon be empty. “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," said 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.”
Burglars can use any information in your social media posts to plan a robbery (Getty Images)Here are Tim's top tips:
Be careful asking someone to dog sit
Often when people go on holiday, they don't or can't take their beloved best friend. This usually means they need to find a dog sitter or kennel for the duration of the time they are away. Tim advises that if you need to ask for assistance with pet care or any other task that hints at your absence, opt for private messaging rather than public posts. This way, you can share details with trusted individuals without broadcasting them to a wider audience.
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Asking for any taxi services available to take you to the airport on X date
Another simple mistake like asking for a taxi service to take you to the airport on a particular date, shows a burglar exactly when you will be leaving your home. There are numerous taxi companies out there that you can directly phone, or book a trip via their website.
Be careful what is included in any pictures you post, such as your passport or boarding pass (Getty Images)Don’t share that your two week holiday has just started
Everyone loves to post beach pics on Facebook as soon as the arrive at their holiday destination, but this is not always the wisest idea. Sharing on your Facebook page that you’re disappearing for two weeks acts a blatant sign to burglars that your home is empty. Any posts like this practically invite burglars to your empty home. Tim suggests that travellers make sure their social accounts are set to private if you wish to post whilst away or simply, wait until you’re back from your holiday to post on social media, to be extra safe.
Holiday countdowns are just as bad
There are apps that are specifically made to gather countdowns to key events in your 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 robbery.
Countdown posts can also act as a calendar invite for burglars to rob your home (Getty Images)Don’t share personal identifiers in your photos
It can be really easy to post pictures without actually noticing what you have included in the picture, that can 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 you're going and for how long. You might not intend to do this, but keep them hidden when you take a quick snapshot. These items may contain sensitive information that could be used for identity theft or other fraudulent activities.
Don’t include the dates in your out of office
One that people might not think about and seems harmless enough is including the dates you are away in your out of office email. Some clever burglars may email you to get your out of office response specifically to find out when you are away from home. If Baby Reindeer is anything to go by, you need to be very careful about the information you include (dates, phone numbers etc).
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