Hi, My Name's Liesel

Social media is a part of almost everyone's daily lives. However, it shouldn't be used to share every last detail of what you have done for the day. After all, you never know who might be stalking your page waiting for a mistake on your part so that they can attack. Believe it or not, this is what thieves and burglars do. By oversharing your information on social media, you are simply making life a lot easier for thieves and you're opening yourself up to needing to file a claim on your homeowner's policy. Stop putting yourself, your home, your personal belongings and your finances at risk with these tips:

Make Sure to Keep Your Most Personal Information OFFline.

Most people know that they shouldn't put their social security number online. However, there is still some personal information that people tend to share willingly without thinking that it can harm them. Unfortunately, it can. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), social media users are sharing some extremely personal information on their Facebooks, including birth dates, full names, family member names and current employers – all of which can be considered helpful information to a thief.

Watch What You Post – Photos AND Text.

When you get good news or are having a good time, it's natural to want to share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or whatever social media outlet that you use. However, you need to make sure that you don't share more than necessary. For example, you'd be surprised at how many people take photos of their brand new drivers licenses – which contains all of their personal information, including home address – and share them on social media. Just search #driverslicense on any social network. Another example is people not realizing that their credit card is on the table when they snap a photo of their dinner, leading to potential identity theft. A final example is posting that big expensive flat-screen television that you just purchased, yet also posting that you won't be able to enjoy it because of your upcoming weekend getaway. You could essentially be voiding your own insurance claim if you come back and find your home broken into and your TV stolen.

Check Your Privacy Settings Regularly.

Do you know what your privacy settings are on your social network? Probably not, and you're not alone. According to the BBB, 14 percent of participants in a study didn't even know their privacy settings. Social media networks are constantly changing their privacy settings in order to keep up with user demand. According to CNN, on Facebook, you can make your cover photos private and even choose specific people who can see your status updates. There may even be some random pop-ups to check in with you regarding your privacy settings.

Although you can change the way you do things and be more careful about what you share online, you may still be at risk. Make sure that your home is always properly insured, as well as your personal belongings, so that if the unthinkable does happen, you have a policy in place to cover the losses. If you're looking for an insurance company, visit Wyoming Financial Insurance.