swtnycboy

Don't know if it's a repost but here you go.


This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

GPS
A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew 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 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 theyknew how much time they had to clean out the house. It appeared thatthey 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.
MOBILE PHONES -- I would never have thought of this.......
This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. 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've 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When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn.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 Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
Moral of the lesson:
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....
And very importantly, when sensitive info is being askedthrough texts, CONFIRM by calling back.
Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came fromthem. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet'family and friends' who text you.

sddale

Great info to know

renedcruz

iTrader: (8)

Wow, that is some good information. A perfect example of the threats all this technology presents.

swtnycboy

The story seems a bit far fetched for me (leaving a purse or other valuables in the car while at a sporting event) but might not be for other people in other neighborhoods. Although i might seem something with the cell phone happening to me and my fiance.

EL_PIC

Good info but ...

When there is a means there is always a way {crime scam wise}.
If you take the home address of GPS as a way to rip you off, abuse your family, or other mayhem ... check your car registration
and insurance info !!
A somewhat smart criminal expects a person to program their GPS home as the neighbor you want to even with.

LOL - don't think the police would buy off on you preventing crime
by not carring your reg, insurance info, DL, or even state plates.

Moral - If someone wants to cause you harm - they will !!
They can use any high tech device or low tech rusty knife.

swtnycboy

True that if they wanted to then they will. As long as you guys know not to allow the mentioned techniques above.

DMZ

Anyone dumb enough to leave a portable GPS device visible in their vehicle when parked in ANY public place is asking for trouble. They're the #1 theft item from cars nowadays. A friend of mine's wife has had her window smashed twice and 2 of them taken, and still hasn't learned.


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justnspace

iTrader: (1)

agreed, i thought all of this was common knowledge.

1995hoo

Bear in mind that even if you remove your portable sat-nav, phone, whatever, or PIN-protect the "go home" on your TL's sat-nav (and I assume all of you who have that feature programmed have set PINs!), in many cases thieves can still get your home address out of your car by finding your registration card. Lots of people, perhaps a majority of people, leave the registration in the car at all times, often in the glove compartment or the center armrest or perhaps in an envelope in the map pocket. If a thief finds it, he's got your home address. There is no law in any state or province requiring that the registration be in the car at all times—rather, the laws provide that the card must be present when the vehicle is being operated.

Of course, that makes it a pain if you share your car with your spouse and your state or province only issues a single card. But if you park in a place where break-ins are an issue, it may be worth the hassle of keeping the card in your wallet instead of in the car.

myron

iTrader: (4)

I just have to say, wow to those criminals. That's some good thinking. I don't leave my stuff visible in the car. Just common sense.