A worthwhile chain-letter you say? Hmmph! We typically destroy chain mail before it can burn our retinas with time-wasting acid. Somehow, somewhere, we received one that drew our attention. The letter had some decent information that could protect you from your own technology.

Two instances in which home gadgets were used as tools for thievery:

The first story explained how a burglar broke into a vehicle at a football game. They proceeded to ransack the car and found a dash-mounted GPS. After a little fiddling, they found the victim’s home address where they used the garage door opener to let themselves in.

The second incident told how a woman’s cell phone was stolen and used to wreak havoc. The burglar found the woman’s husband clearly listed as ‘hubby’ in the phone’s contacts. After he had the phone number, the criminal texted the husband asking for their bank account’s PIN number. Immediately after receiving the answer via text, the burglar went to the nearest ATM and withdrew as much as he could.

Bottom.Paratus: But how can we fix this so we don’t end up being thieverized?? Both instances can be avoided with simple corrections to your devices. Change your home address to somewhere nearby so no one will be able to navigate directly to your house. Secondly, change your significant contacts to a less discrete names. Isn’t it amazing? You’ll be safe from everything! (Not a guarantee)

Tags: ATM, Cell, Garmin, GPS, Mobile, Phone, Security, Text, Tom-Tom

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