MANILA, Philippines — It’s understandably tempting to immediately post on social media your whereabouts as you go on your long-awaited getaway from your hectic life, but doing this may just pose more problems for you when you return to regular programming.
Sure, you may be posting “not to brag, but to inspire.” But you may be inadvertently inspiring criminals to break into your home as you break news about your vacation in real-time.
This was the warning of Philippine National Police spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo to all those leaving their homes to travel during the Holy Week and planning to provide live updates online.
“It’s like you announced that there’s no one home,” Fajardo told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo in Filipino on Monday. “This is for your security and also for the security of those who will be left at home.”
“Criminals are no longer just on the streets, they’re also in cyberspace,” she added.
Fajardo also advised against posting boarding passes and ATM cards as these contain sensitive information which can be used by criminals.
She also said people leaving their homes for vacation should make sure all their doors are locked and their windows are closed. She added that they may also ask trusted people like neighbors to check on their homes from time to time.
The PNP is on heightened alert in anticipation of thousands of travelers going to vacation destinations or back to their hometowns during the five-day Holy Week holidays spanning from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday.
Fajardo said 75,000 to 78,000 PNP personnel will be deployed nationwide, some of whom will be manning assistance desks at transport terminals, airports and places of worship. — Xave Gregorio