Stay Safe: Three Simple Ways to Improve Your Personal Security
No matter where you live in the world there are potential threats to your home, to your personal security on the streets, and to your identity online. You only have to turn on the news or read the papers to see the increasing number of security issues the we face these days. However, a few simple adjustments can make all the difference to you and your family’s security. Read on for some simple yet highly effective preventative strategies that will help you to stay safe.
Protect Your Home
Home security is a serious issue as break-ins not only put your belongings at risk of theft, but they can also pose a safety risk for you and your family. An estimated 33% of burglars gain access to a property through the front door and 7% of all burglaries result in violent crime against someone who was in the home. Some simple measures will help to update the security of your home and make it less of a target to thieves. You can start by making sure that all windows and doors have a secure locking system. An alarm system along with CCTV cameras on the exterior of your property will further help to deter people from breaking in. You can also use security lights around the perimeter of your property. These security lights can be motion activated in order to illuminate the area as soon as someone comes within range.
Stay Safe Online
It’s important that you take measures to stay safe when using the Internet too. A study by CIFAS reported that of all recorded fraud cases, a massive 47% of those were some form of online identity fraud. You can stay safe online by avoiding giving out personal details like your address or birth date. Make sure that your personal social media pages, such as your Facebook are set to private so only close friends and family can see your personal updates and photographs. Ensure that your passwords are hard to hack by choosing a selection of letters and numbers and avoiding using simple passwords such as one word dictionary letters, names and places. It is also a good idea to have different passwords for different accounts so that if one does happen to be hacked the rest of your accounts remain secure.
Internet users should also be aware of phishing scams. These are where a fake email is sent asking for personal information such as pin codes, dates of birth or addresses. A bank will never ask for personal information via email. If in doubt, stay safe and contact the company who you think the email is from directly, and report the email to your service provider if necessary.
Be Street-Wise
Be street smart by choosing to walk in well-lit safe areas, and by avoiding walking in dark places alone at night. Keep valuables, particularity mobile phones and digital devices out of sight when walking alone, and be wary of keeping wallets and purses in your pocket in busy areas, as you could be easily pick pocketed. If you have concerns over your safety when travelling then it may also be worth taking self defence classes in order to better protect yourself should you be involved in an incident.
These are just a few of the many things that you can do in order to stay safe in your home, on the streets and online. Surelock are one of the leading companies in the personal and business security field. They provide a range of services including surveillance services and private investigation services in harassment, blackmail and kidnap and burglary, arson attacks and stalking cases. They also provide protection against violence training courses for your security needs.