Many people assume that by leaving the lights on in their home when they’re on vacation means that they’re being smart. On the other hand they’re updating their Facebook status letting everybody know when they are leaving and when they will be coming back. Wake up and smell the coffee, because it is getting more dangerous nowadays to go public with where you are and especially where you are not.

The insurance companies are seeing this new problem with an open wallet. If they believe that their customers were negligent in that specific case, they might consider them not eligible of the insurance for damages, said Darren Black, head of home insurance at the website Confused.com.

Is this a big problem or is it just another excuse for insurance companies to avoid paying up?

Criminals don’t have to work hard no more, since the new technology is literally handing them all the information they need to make their job more effective. This problem has nothing to do with criminals becoming more sophisticated, but with the lack of people’s awareness about the current situation.

A new site called PleaseRobMe.com was launched in February this year. It alerts internet users when their online updates indicate they are not home. It’s a Dutch-based website who wants to raise the awareness of online security. The goal is to raise people’s knowledge and have them think twice before using services like; Foursquare, Brightkite, Google Buzz etc.

Darren Black advises the people to never post their home address or telephone number on social networking sites. And last but not least be careful who you accept as a friend online, because that particular “friend” can be the reason you’ll be sleeping on the floor after a lovely vacation.