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Vacation photos, new car photos and other social media posts can make you an instant target for theives and vandals.

Social media can be a fun and engaging way to connect with family and friends through quick and simple updates. While you might think social media posts and pictures are harmless and innocent, others might see them as opportunities for theft, vandalism and other criminal activity. Social media posts can easily put people and property at risk, so it's important to understand how criminals can use our social media posts against us, and safer ways to communicate through social media. Today's blog post will look at how criminals can use social media posts to target our property, and next week we'll discuss safer ways to share updates and photos without making us susceptible to criminals.

Is Anyone Home?

The most common use for social media is sharing photos with family members and friends. Often these are pictures of our children, vacations, family events, delicious meals, or other fun adventures. However, one simple picture or post online can tell strangers that your home is empty and easy to rob. When you post an update letting people you're about to embark on a weeklong cruise, or photos from your trip to Vegas, you're letting people know that your home and possessions will be alone with no one to safeguard them. Even if you know your immediate friends and family would never steal your property, your post may be seen by their friends or associates, who might not hesitate to break into your home while you're away.

Check Out My New Car!

One of the highlights of buying a new car is taking it for a spin and showing it to friends and family members. You take loved ones for a ride to show off the fancy features, fast speeds, or roomy interior. Now, it's also common for people to also post pictures of their new vehicles on social media, which can make them instant targets for car theft. By posting new car photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you make it known that you have an expensive and brand-new vehicle on your property. New car owners make themselves the target of criminals interested in stealing the entire vehicle, or removing valuable components like rims or audio equipment.

If You've Got It, Don't Flaunt It

It can be fun to splurge on fun and beautiful items like watches, expensive jewels, artwork, electronic gadgets, purses and shoes. Unfortunately, too many people advertise their luxury collections on social media and even national media outlets, making them instant targets for criminals across the city, state, and country. A Houston area woman found this out the hard way after allowing news crews to film her extravagant 5,000 square foot designer closet, filled with over a million dollars worth of luxury items and accessories. Unfortunately for her, not even two weeks after her story aired, she made the news again after a thief waited for her family to leave for dinner and robbed her of nearly all of her valuables.

Social media posts can be a wonderful way to remain connected to distant relatives and old friends, but it's important to always use discretion and make smarter choices before posting online. It's also a wise idea to always make sure all valuables are well insured in case of disasters like theft, fires, vandalism or floods. Aegis offers property owners in the greater Houston area both reliable and affordable insurance solutions that meet unique needs. Aegis offers a full range of insurance coverage policies, such as Homeowners, Renters, Auto, Life and Business coverage. Call Aegis today at 713-850-7622 for more information, or go online to request a free quote today!

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