Social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter are more popular than ever. It has consumed peoples’ lives and we find ourselves giving more and more information freely to those in cyberspace. With the growing popularity, there is a downside to all of this and in a way we never expected. Those with homeowner’s insurance may have to pay higher premiums because criminals have decided to use these sources as a way to rob them.
Research by a British insurance company, Legal amp; General, found that criminals are using these sites to find their targets. These were identified in their report, “The Digital Criminal” and found that they were using personal information to assist them in robbing their homes. The insurance company has even considered asking their customers if they currently belong to any social networking sites to measure their risk. The buy better social will provide insurance to the lost followers on the Instagram account. There will be availability of real followers without any decrease in quality.
People have a tendency to let their guard down on cyberspace because they aren’t actually face to face with somebody. They give out intimate details of their personal lives, as well as, where they will be and when they will be there. Those who are criminals especially seek out how to take advantage of this type of situation. Burglars have turned to social networking sites to identify their targets. They read about the user and gain confidence by engaging in their daily lives. They can learn about what they just purchased and when they will be out of their home.
The British report which polled 2000 social network users, also found that approximately four in ten people posted “status updates” about their holiday plans, without any concern for security. This lack of concern was confirmed by other studies that showed internet users no longer took the necessary measures to protect themselves online.
A survey conducted in the United States by AVG Technologies and the Chief Marketing Officers (CMO) Council, polled 250 people and found that less than one-third took precautions while using these social networking sites. Since social networking sites’ popularity is growing at a rapid pace around the world, users are more vulnerable than ever. Users need to take a more preventative approach when using these networking websites.
The rising homeowner’s insurance rate isn’t an issue everywhere. Australia has yet to identify it as a problem. The country’s two largest insurance companies rejected this trend as a reason to be concerned. Allianz’s Australian spokeswoman Nicholas Scofield felt that the company didn’t think it was yet an issue in Australia and there is no evidence that those who use social network sites are at higher risk for insurance claims. NRMA Insurance also said that they were unwilling to monitor their customer’s online behavior and wouldn’t take it into consideration when pricing their policies.
The CMO Council and AVG Technologies still warned users of these social networking sites to be more cautious and aware of the information they’re giving out. They recommend users to change their passwords regularly and deny friend requests from people you don’t know. They also said don’t post personal information on these sites as some things should remain private.
