Mary Loftis
We are slaves to our electronic devices, but sometimes they cause us more harm than good when it comes to the safety and security of our lives and possessions. The following cases can be a good reminder to be a little more protective of our points of access.
Case #1:
A family left their car in the long-term parking while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car’s registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people’s home and robbed it. If leaving a car in long-term parking it would be wise NOT leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener.
Case #2:
Another family had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS unit which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.
Something to consider if you have a GPS – don’t put your home address in it… Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.
Case #3:
After a lady’s handbag was stolen she now changed how she lists the names on her cell phone. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. 20 minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says ‘I received your text asking about our Pin number and I replied a little while ago.’ When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text ‘hubby’ in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes all the money was withdrawn from their bank account.
The moral of the lesson:
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc….
b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM the need for this information by calling back.
c. Also, when you’re being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm the message came from them. If you don’t reach them, be very careful about going places to meet ‘family and friends’ who text you.
Mary Loftis,
Extension Assistant
UNL Extension – Burt County
111 North 13th Street, Suite 6
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2929
Fax: (402) 374-2930
Internet: mloftis2@unl.edu
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