Be Careful Online

I've mentioned here numerous times why it's important to reveal yourself as little as possible on the internet. Here's yet one more reason why. This couple signed up for an Allstate Social Media commercial. Here's what happened

According to 'Daily Mail.com, " ... the real-life couple whose oversharing social media habits made them the stars of a commercial where their home appeared to be robbed and all their possession sold off... were seized upon by Allstate insurers, who noticed their tendency to post so much sensitive information online they were prime candidates for burglary.

Using national television and the big screens of the College Bowl as their platform, the company staged an elaborate fake robbery of their home in Illinois to teach them - and others - a lesson. At the start of the game, Allstate's robber mascot Mayhem, played by Dean Winters, appeared on the big screens to 'thank' the Moskals for revealing they were at the game in New Orleans - and therefore not home to guard their things."



I'll repeat this warning yet once again.
Be careful of the information you post online whether it be on social media, disclosure to some offer in email or on a particular website. Overall the most important thing to remember is, once something goes on the internet it stays on the internet (whether your delete it or not).

Other Important Tips
* Use email accounts that are usernames and not your real name
* Use email accounts that are not your own ISP provider's
* Email, pictures & videos are never ever deleted on provider's servers (just invisible to you)
* Assume 100% Facebook, chats and others are never private
* Check out your profile on social media sites for how much info your providing to strangers
* Check out where you've made purchases and delete charge card information
* Mastercard & VISA offer apps that can generate temporary numbers with limits you select.
* Password protect your wireless router
* Public Wi-Fi hot spots ARE NOT private
* Avoid storing personal files in the cloud whenever possible
* Turn off the auto play function. Run a scan before using thumbdrives or disks.
* Run a full virus protection system scan weekly

Smartphones
Suffice to say most likely you've already surrendered your privacy no matter what your settings are. Most are far more secure using a PC then any mobile device for internet services.

Although nearly no one uses a mobile phone anymore for what it was originally intended, it is something one should reconsider.

I still use a 'Garmin' for getting around. A 'flip cam' for video recordings and other separate devices that are nearly impossible to hack. But hey if you don't mind someone being able to listen to your cellphone's mike, activate the camera, law enforcement legally searching your cellphone, track it's location or tap into the myriads of harvested information apps manufactures have built into them... enjoy yourself.