It wasn’t that long ago that the predominant way of meeting new people was through friends, colleagues, or by playing sport.These days, however, it is equally common for people – especially Generation Y – to use technology to keep in touch with existing friends, and social networking websites to make new ones.
But while these technological advances can make life easier for time-poor individuals, they can also leave the unwary open to a number of property or personal safety issues.
“Generation Y are increasingly using technology to communicate and meet new people but this can leave them exposed to the theft of their personal information, identity fraud, and personal and property security issues,” Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) assistant state coordinator A/Sergeant Yvette Burgess said.
“Online, people can pretend to be whoever they want to be so it’s vitally important that you don’t’ give away too much information in online personal profiles, such as your address or where you work.”
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is the Neighbourhood Watch program’s major sponsor with the two organisations working together to promote community safety.
Factors to help you safeguard your personal information online include ensuring your personal profile on social networking sites is only available to friends.
“Also don’t invite people you have met online to your home until you have got to know them in person and have met them a number of times in neutral public places,” REIQ executive manager Leonie Foster said.
“Allowing a stranger into your home – even if you have been ‘talking’ to them online – could end up being a threat to the safety of you personally and your possessions.”
