Is Your Social Media Chatter Putting Your Home at Risk?

Sharing too much on your social media profiles can put your home and loved ones’ safety at risk. Even those posts and shares that seem harmless can unintentionally provide potential burglars with information they need to make you a target. So, before you post, make sure you are not putting your home at risk.

Top 6 Social Media Posts You Should Not Share

Before you make your next Tweet, post or Facebook share, consider these 6 things you should never announce on social media:

  • Countdown to Your Next Vacation – Are you doing a countdown on your social media page letting everyone know that you will be leaving soon? Doing so lets followers and potential burglars know that you will be gone for an extended period of time.
  • Checking In – Check-ins are the latest “thing” on social media, but they also tell people that you are away from your house. If you tag friends away with you, you are putting their home at risk too.
  • Property Damage – Do you have a broken window? Sharing a picture of your home on social media lets potential burglars know a potential weakness in your home’s security.
  • Layouts – Sharing photographs of the inside of your home gives burglars a preview of the valuables you have inside and gives them a potential blueprint for navigating your house.
  • Holidays – Just like sharing vacation plans, never share your holiday plans. Because burglars are on the lookout for empty houses during the holidays, you do not need to let them know you will be away.
  • RSVPs – Social media has opened the door to online invites. Unfortunately, there are people outside of your social circle that may be part of that online group. If you RSVP, a potential burglar scouting the group will know that you will be away, and they even know the exact dates and times.

Not sharing valuable information online is your first level of defense. Second is installing a home security system. Brinton Security can help you find the right home security system to keep you safe, and we offer free in-home estimates.

Call Brinton Security – the experts in home security systems today! (800) 747-9399.

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Remember These Internet Safety Tips for Families

The internet is part of our everyday lives and offers a lot of benefits, but it can also be incredibly dangerous. While your children are online doing homework or using social media, there are criminals lurking to steal personal information—or worse.  If you have children that use the internet, the rules you establish for going online not only positively impact their online experience, it positively impacts their safety and that of the family. Talk to your family about these internet safety tips.

For Parents

Keeping your family safe online means being proactive. Take an active role in how the computer and other devices with online access are used in your home. Establish family guidelines about internet safety and make it a regular part of family conversation. Here are some important tips for parents.

  •         Always install and use internet filters and permission programs to make inappropriate sites off-limits.
  •         Use parental alerts.
  •         Install file sharing programs correctly and activate setting so nothing private is shared.
  •         Have them use the computer and other internet devices in communal parts of the home, instead of in their room with the door shut.
  •         Take all incidents of bullying seriously.
  •         Always report suspicious activity, or online threats of self-harm.
  •         Check browser history.

Establish family guidelines about internet safety and make it a regular part of family conversation.

For Children and Teens

Having an established set of rules helps keep everyone safe. Here are some important tips to discuss with your family.

  •         Never use personal information such as name or birthdate to create screen names.
  •         Use generic names instead of ones that identify whether you are male or female.
  •         Always choose complex passwords and never share them.
  •         Do not use secret online email or social media accounts.
  •         Never give personal information such as your name, address, or name of your school or places you frequent.
  •         Never agree to send photos to someone you met online.
  •         Do not send pictures of friends, family members, or pictures where the background can help someone locate you.
  •         Never agree to meet anyone in person whom you have met online. Ever.
  •         If something does not feel right, tell your parents.
  •         Always tell your parents immediately if someone sends an inappropriate, explicit, or threatening message.
  •         Never reply to text, email, or pop-up messages asking for personal or financial information and do not follow links in those messages.
  •         Be cautious about opening attachments, regardless of who sent them.
  •         Talk to your parents before P2P file sharing.
  •         Check with your parents before installing any “free” games or software.
  •         Never download anything without parental consent.
  •         Never buy anything online without permission.
  •         Never send messages that will make someone feel sad, scared, threatened, or could be considered mean spirited.
  •         Never argue with someone over the internet.
  •         Tell your parents immediately about any incidents of bullying.

About Brinton Security

From an initial consultation and installation to ongoing monitoring and service, Brinton Security is dedicated to the safety of you, your family, and your home.

 

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Some Old School Things Have Got to Go. Like Old School Security

Some old school things need to live on in our culture—like those awesome vintage trailers, Coca Cola, and rock n’ roll. Other things…maybe not so much. Pimento loaves, Jell-O rings, and Yugos can have an honored place in our memory, but we’ve moved on. The same should be true for old school security practices. Though the practices our parents grew up with may have worked back in the day, they do not offer the kind of security needed today. Criminals have gotten increasingly sophisticated and emboldened and yesterday’s security practices are now not just ineffective, they can be downright dangerous.

The good news is, home security and automation technologies offer a better alternative.

Don’t Look Under the Doormat

Believe it or not, putting a key under the welcome mat is not uncommon, even today. It may be handy but it is also dangerous. The number one point of entry for burglars is the front door, and the chances are pretty good that they will check under the mat (and above the door jamb) for a key, just in case. For a criminal, the key under the doormat is as good as an unlocked door.

The better alternative is using home security smart locks and keyless entry. With this you never need to leave a key out for the kids, or visitors. You just assign a code or unlock the door remotely from your smart phone. This way you keep intruders out, and have an added advantage of getting alerts when the code is used so you know that loved ones made it home safely.

Those Plastic Rocks Never Look Real, Anyway

Today’s fake rocks look much more realistic than those from years ago, but still fairly easy to spot is you are a savvy burglar—or even if you are not. If you happen to lose your keys frequently or have a need to grant access to family, friends, or service professionals opt out of the fake rock. It is as good as gold to a criminal.

Instead, consider the options home automation offers. With home automation and geofencing, your doors can unlock automatically when you are within range, or you can open the doors for loved ones from a smartphone or tablet.

Leaving the Lights on is a Beacon

Walking into a lit home is smart. Leaving the lights on the entire time you are gone is not. Leaving the lights on as a security strategy just doesn’t work. Having the lights on and no other signs of life acts as a beacon for burglars.

A much better practice is using home automation to simulate your presence. Having lights, electronics, and appliances go off and on at unpredictable intervals makes it difficult to discern whether the home is occupied or not. For the criminal, the risk is too high.

Peep Hole or Video Doorbell, Who Wins?

The video doorbell wins hands down in this old school vs new school battle. The peephole has been around a long time and served us well, but the video doorbell is a formidable challenger. With the peephole, you need to get close to the door to see out, which not only gives away that someone is home, it can put in the way of danger. It only offers a vary warped and narrow view, and useless in the dark. You can answer the door from anywhere, whether you are home or not, using the video doorbell. A potential criminal never knows you are away, and you never have to get close to the door. HD video doorbells offer a wide view, work in low light, and act as an extra home security camera.

Keep the retro trailers, and all things cool, but ditch outdated security practices. Brinton Security Services is dedicated to serving the community with high-tech security solutions and help protect what matters.

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