Clerk: Where do you live?
Kevin: Can’t tell you that.
Clerk: Why not?
Kevin: ‘Cause you’re a stranger.
To me, one of the most hilarious scenes in Home Alone has to be when Kevin is interacting with the grocery store clerk and the clerk is trying to get Kevin to give out his address. It just goes to show that the more quickly you answer a question, the more believable your answer.
All humor aside, it was very smart of Kevin to protect his home identity. Protecting your home location from strangers is important as children and adults. Here are a few tricks to keep your home identity safe!
- Don’t post on social media your geo-location when at home.
My good friend with a substantial following on Instagram was accidently posting from home with his “add location” feature on. This meant that his exact address was shared with anyone who knows how to use Instagram. When he left town to travel and was posting images of himself abroad his home was broken into and thousands of dollars of possessions were stolen. By sharing his location on social media he essentially gave burglars a map to his house and told them when he wouldn’t be home! Here is a link to some safety tips from Instagram.
- Teach kids not to share their address with strangers.
Some circumstances may warrant that your child shares personal information. Maybe they are lost and a stranger is trying to help them find there way home! So what strangers should we teach are children to trust? Click here to see some tips on talking to your kids about Stranger Danger.
- Remove your address from online directories.
I recently searched for my address online and was shocked at just how many online directories (like the White Pages) listed my name, my address, my spouse, and they even had options to view my criminal record (if I had had one). That is insane to me! I requested my address be removed from several different sites and I felt safer already. For more online safety tips click here.
- Make sure your home is secure.
Have peace of mind if your address is shared on the web, social media, or by an innocent child trying to get home, you won’t need to worry. With Vivint home security you can always see what is happening at home and make sure your home and family are safe—even if your location is public.
Here are some other ways to protect your home!
Download a Home Safety Checklist
Protect your home from everything!
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