Are Burglars Watching Your Social Media Updates?

Spending your days tweeting away might be a great way to share news with friends and family, but it’s also a way to increase the risk of getting robbed.

Social media applications like Twitter, Facebook and other popular forms of real-time communication are also growing in popularity among the criminally minded.

To put it plain and simple, real-time sharing may provide the perfect way to hook up with friends on short notice or simply stay in touch throughout the day, but it also informs others that you are away from home.

Recent reports on CBS News and information from police stations throughout the nation indicate a dramatic increase in criminals who use information gained from social media websites to plan and target a home invasion while the owner is away. There are several ways to help combat the risk of home invasion or robbery, but each requires a bit of discipline. Following are some things to keep in mind:

Home Alone: Never share information about children or vulnerable persons who may be home alone.

True Friends: Limit your network to people you can really trust, or consider using two different accounts – one for casual friends and another for family.

After-Effects: Rather than sharing in real time, consider sending out a status report after the big event.