What could be more fun this time of year than packing up the kids and getting away for the week?  So much fun in fact that people (kids and adults alike!) often post their upcoming vacation plans as status on Facebook, Twitter, and other online social sites… “Just 2 more days! Look out Disney, the Smiths are coming!”

What too many folks are finding however,  is that those joyful and innocent announcements of upcoming vacation dates, timeframes, and destinations are increasing the chances of home break-ins and burglaries while away.  That’s because tech-savvy criminals have turned to social media sites to target vacationers. 

Unfortunately for many, that breathless announcement that vacation has FINALLY arrived is like hanging out a billboard that says “our house will be empty for a week.”

Do yourself a huge favor and be more ambiguous. Better yet, skip the announcements of vacation coming altogether, and wait instead until after you’re home from vacation and post all you want about what a great time it was!

In particular, advise your kids, who are not only likely to post all the details of your family vacation up front, but in many cases, will post realtime updates through mobile phones or wireless internet during the vacation “just got back from swimming with dolphins, it was awesome! Headed over to Planet Hollywood!”

This article was written by Andy Trask, Head Geek at Geek Housecalls, the New England area’s original traveling computer geeks, on the web at www.geekhousecalls.com. Geek Housecalls specializes in “anything computer” and, since 2001, has become the trusted in-home computer and technology support provider for over 15,000 families and small business computer users in eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire. For help with your computers, gadgets, or network at home or at the office, click here to contact Geek Housecalls via the web, or call toll free:

1-877-4PC-GEEK             (1-877-472-4335)