Posts could cause problems, cops say

If you like to detail every mundane moment of your day on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. law enforcement officials say watch out. You could be rolling out the welcome mat for thieves.

Crime prevention experts, such as Melanie Wood with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, say social networking sites where users can pick and choose who gets to view their profiles are giving people a false sense of security.

"You can set your page to private all day long, but that doesn't mean someone is not going to be able to access it," Wood said.
The biggest concern for those who teach on-line safety is the amount of information users reveal about their identities, their locations, even their up-to-the-minute activities.

"You know you're putting your personal information out there for any Joe Bag of Doughnuts to find out, and it's so easy. I mean the Internet is a wonderful thing, but it can be used for good as well as evil," Wood said.

An Arizona man recently posted information on Twitter about his family vacation in Kansas City. When his father went to check on his home it had been burglarized. Police are not sure the "tweet" tipped off the thieves, but they say it could have.

Wood believes bad guys are only going to get more and more savvy when it comes to targeting social network users.

"How easy would it be to track your information down and, while you're having a great time on vacation, I'm cleaning your house out you know because you're giving me all that information," Wood said.

Law enforcement officials offer a few tips to ensure your own social networking safety. Don't detail your location or destination. Don't be specific about when you're home and when you're not. Also be careful uploading photos. Those pictures can often tip off crooks about where you're at. Bottom line, officials say, assume any one can see your social networking profile -- not just the people you've chosen.