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How to Spend More Money on Home Security

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Lets face it, if you had it you’d spend it, and what better way than on your families security! In today’s high tech connected world a networked and remotely monitored home security system is the way to go.

Keyless Access: Door locks that require a pincode make it easier to access without fumbling for keys. Many keyless locks are smart and can be set to allow contractors limited one time PIN access.

Remote Control Alarms: For a few extra bucks you can add remote controls to an alarm system that allow you to activate or deactivate from the driveway or online.

Robot Cameras: New and very expensive robotic camera equipped technologies will roam your property taking full day and night video.

Remote Monitoring: Having someone monitor a video surveillance system 24/7/365 is close to having feet on the ground. These same systems come equipped with speakers used to yell at the trespassers.

Bullet Proof: If you’re especially concerned about flying bullets then installing bullet proof glass, doors and shoring up your walls with bullet proof steal is a must.

Panic or Safe Rooms: A safe room provides a space where you can survive a tornado, hurricane or home invasion with little or no injury.  Residents can hide out in a relatively bullet proof, well stocked room equipped with wireless communications and wait for law enforcement to show up.

16 or 32 Camera Surveillance System: Once you go beyond 8 cameras prices start to rise. However 16 or even 32 cameras will provide you with a bird’s eye view of every single nook and cranny of your home extending into your neighborhood.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Self Defense on Fox Boston

Is a Protection Dog Right for You?

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As mentioned in a previous post I’m a big believer in furry beasts as a layer of protection. My 60lb German shepherd last fall is now a 75lb GSD due to a lazy winter and a busy Daddy who hasn’t taken her out enough.

“Lola” the furriest of all beasts is all bark, love and very territorial. When anyone walks within 100 yards of the property she’s barking. If the door bell rings or someone knocks on the door forget it. All mayhem breaks out. If I or anyone enters through a door and she is even a little surprised she goes nuts.

In the event a bad guy was to walk through my door my feeling is he’d end up “sausage.” A dog is another home alarm system. It’s an extra video security system too. They often see and hear what you can’t day and night. Whenever my dog starts barking the first thing I do is check the video surveillance system monitor to see what she’s cracking about.

In the Boston area, it is reported that a German Shepherd thwarted a home invasion.

The key to getting a protection dog is to understand what a protection dog is and isn’t. First and foremost a protection dog doesn’t mean that the dog is a non stop-snarling-growling-aggressive-ready to pounce-rabid animal. Most protection dogs are relatively sublime, but aware. They respond to the call of duty when they sense a reason to.

A real protection dog is one that is trained for such a purpose. Certain breeds are more trainable and often go through a technique called “schutzhund”. German Shepherds, Malinois and Dobermans are breeds that come to mind. Generally, these dogs have what’s called “prey drive.” Prey drive is the instinctive behavior of a carnivore to pursue and capture prey.

Without prey drive the dog doesn’t have much motivation to do much, never mind put themselves in harms way.

My neighbors have these 2 little “Toto” dogs that think they are 125lbs Rottweilers. And frankly, I don’t get to close to them because they act the part too. They snarl and hiss and bark when their “Mom” walks them and they have razor sharp teeth. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

Ultimately you want a dog that is safe around you and children. Just as important the dog needs to be safe around strangers too. The dog needs to be sensitive to who or what is good, and when there is a threat. A dog that bites for no reason isn’t a protection dog; it’s a lawsuit and a burden.

Do your research to determine what’s best for you and your family. No matter what dog you get, show them respect and they will watch your back.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on Fox Boston

Social Media Sticky Situations

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

Maybe you’re a Mom or a Dad, a Student or a Grad. No matter what you are, you have a reputation to protect. How we are viewed in society matters to most people. Being viewed as someone who is respectable, responsible, someone who has integrity and is generally a decent person is what most people strive for.

To be considered otherwise, would have negative repercussions. People who are viewed as irresponsible, out of control or someone who favors ill will, doesn’t allow that person to progress effectively in a civilized society. Life is harder for people who are destructive or make bad choices.

The Internet has made our personal and professional lives very transparent. We now live in the fishbowl. Despite what many will argue, your privacy is no longer fully in your control. What you say, do and post can live forever. You are being judged in the process. And there are repercussions for those choices you make more now than ever.

Recently, a university professor who used her Facebook account specifically for her personal friendships came under fire for things she said on her Facebook account. This professor even went through the process of securing her posts by privatizing her page and not friending students. She consciously made an attempt to separate her personal and professional life.

After a long week of work she made some off color, tongue and cheek posts about students that in today’s knee-jerk-take-no-chances response world, could be considered threats of violence.  Remember, it was her belief that her Facebook page was a private one and she was speaking to her closest friends.

What everyone needs to understand is that social media is anything but private. People are watching, and waiting and many are hoping and wishing you might say something controversial which will give them something to talk about and a reason to point the finger.

Plain and simple: Don’t give anyone any ammunition to be used against you. Don’t do or say or post anything that may come back to haunt you. Whatever you post realize that you mom, dad, employer, potential employer or law enforcement may be watching.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing social network privacy on Fox Boston.

America’s Most Wanted Teen

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

Colton Harris Moore stole a bicycle at the age of 8 and never looked back. Now 6 ft. 5 in. and 18 years old, Harris Moore is suspected in over 100 burglaries in the Pacific Northwest. Recently he has been credited with stealing cars, speedboats and now airplanes (at least 3). He is known as the “Barefoot Burglar” because he kicked off his shoes running from the police through the woods.

This 18 year old has never taken a flying lesson and has achieved celebrity like status with over 20,000 Facebook fans. However, Harris-Moore isn’t one to be celebrated. He steals as much from the average hard worker as he does from the dot–com rich.

He breaks into homes to get what he needs to survive in the woods and it is believed he enjoys the high living in the unoccupied rich vacation homes. He’s been known to make himself a bowl of ice cream and take a hot bath.

Generally, he will break in and copy down credit card numbers out of wallets, opposed to stealing the whole card, to avoid detection. He was accused of using a homeowners PC to buy a $6500.00 pair of night vision glasses and bear Mace. He’s also charged thousands of dollars in police scanners, video games and GPS devices.

He’s also accused of stealing an assault rifle out of a cop car. Which means he’s potentially armed and dangerous.

1. Install outdoor lighting on timers and motion sensors.

2. Make sure your home has a “lived in” look.

3. Use indoor timers for lights, TVs and automatic shades.

4. Install security cameras that can be remotely monitored.

5. Install a home alarm system monitored by an alarm company and the police.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover.

Who Are Your Kids Chatting With On Their Webcam?

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Growing up we used to spend hours prank calling people we knew and also calling completely random numbers. The best calls were when you got someone on the line that got all mad and reacted in a way that made us want to call that person every five minutes forever. We just needed “stimulation.”

Then we grew up. Just in time for caller ID and no more prank phone calls. Back then, the telephone was the only technology we had access to, other than walkie talkies and hacking CB radios. Today is a whole new era.

All along we were told “not to talk to strangers.” It was the stranger that was strange and most likely to hurt you. Since then, “stranger danger” has been rebuffed by many. However new technologies are bringing back the danger in the stranger.

Your 12 year old daughter chatting in a park or online with a 35 year old stranger isn’t good. Chatting with that same 35 year old with a webcam is a disaster that will happen.

Then comes Chatroulette.

“Parents need to know that Chatroulette allows anyone with a webcam and Internet connection to instantly video chat with any other visitor anywhere in the world. Even if you don’t have a web cam, you can still use the site and view the other people using it. All you do is go to the site’s homepage, click a button to sync your webcam, and you are instantly connected randomly with other users.”

1. Talk to your kids about sites like these and the risks they pose.

2. Discuss both the good and potential bad intentions someone may have when on a site like this.

3. Explain how the anonymity of a site like this can motivate people to do and say things that aren’t socially acceptable in public.

4. Communicate to them that adults have a way of extracting information from minors and can manipulate them into saying and doing things they may later regret.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Webcam Spying on The CW New York.

Security Increases After Grad Student Attack Off Campus

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

I see headlines like this every day. “Security increases” because we wait until something bad happens until we do something about it. How about we increase security right now because there is a small chance something bad can happen? Like the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.”

Some time ago a home invasion in Connecticut took the lives of a mother and her two daughters while the Doctor father was tied up in the basement. Bad things happened to the women and the home was eventually set ablaze. This is the single worst home invasion I’ve ever seen. The case is in the courts now. This is a perfect example of what “Predators” are.

There always has been, is, and always will be predators stalking their prey. Unfortunately, this is the natural order of life. Predators are a part of many of life’s species. Growing up my dad sat me in front of the TV and made me watch documentaries on animal behavior.

“In the animal world”, he pointed out, and then he specifically pointed towards the lion and said “there are predators and their natural prey”. The lion hunts and stalks other animals and kills, then eats them. He explained that it’s normal for the lion to kill, it’s OK, it might not be nice of the lion, but that’s just the way it is.

He went on to say that in the human world, it’s the exact same thing. That there are human beings that act exactly as the lion, and it’s normal. It’s not OK, it’s not nice, but that’s just the way it is. Lots to digest when you are 12. The fact is dad was right.

Some may know the story of the “Frog and the Scorpion.” Scorpion asks a frog to take him across the river on his back. Frogs like, no way dude you’ll kill me. Scorpion says “hey man, I won’t kill you, if I did I’d drown too” Frogs like, “OK man, sounds reasonable, let’s do it”. Frog gets halfway across the river and the scorpion stings him! Surprised, the frog asks why, because now they will both drown, scorpions says, “Stupid frog, I’m a scorpion, it’s what we do.” Predators are predators by nature.

There are over 500,000 registered sex offenders in the US. There are thousands more that aren’t registered and many more that simply haven’t been caught.

It’s unfortunate they can’t just be kept in jail. But this is the land of the free and the brave and we have rights. Even the child molesters have rights.

So here’s the deal. If you live in a house (which most of us do), chances are there are sex offenders near where you live and work. It’s not enough to know that there are bad guys out there looking for their next victims. It’s important to do something about it. Take a self defense class, bone up on your eye gouging, and teach those you love how to protect themselves. Remember, once a scorpion, always a scorpion.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Predators on the Gayle King Show

Thieves Stealing Your GPS Can Track You Back Home

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert


GPS is the single greatest invention since the wheel. Well, it is for me. Admittedly, I’m not a great driver. I don’t pay attention as much as I should. I day dream and I miss exits. I’m safe, but I just don’t like to drive. GPS gets me there.

I’ve messed with all kinds of GPS devices to get me from A to B. I’ve used iPhone Apps, Google Maps and the GPS that came built into me vehicle’s dashboard. My dashboard GPS is frustrating and less than user friendly. So I went out and picked up one of the name brand portable models. I LOVE IT!

Out of the box, it brought me through a set up wizard. The set up wizard prompted me to plug in my home address into a field appropriately called “Home.” This thing is so user friendly it allows you to press this one button from wherever you are at the time and it gets you home!

What a fantastic feature; for a car thief or a burglar!. As soon as I saw this feature I was like, ahhhh NO! I’m not plugging my home address in this thing. If my vehicle was ever stolen, the thief would know where I lived and have the remote control to my garage too! And if you ever valet a car at a restaurant or function, the valet has a buddy who then goes to your home and burgles it! With your keys! So I plugged “Home” as the address where city hall is. Plus I never give my house keys to a valet.

Some of you reading this might be saying “The thief still has your address on your vehicle registration” Ahhhh, NO! Not mine. First, you’re supposed to carry your registration in your wallet and not leave it in the car. I learned this after the cop who I reported my stolen car told me this 20 years ago.  And my registration is listed as a PO Box. I use a PO Box as a corresponding address for almost every transaction that allows it. I have a barrier between my home life and every thing else.

Remember, you have to think like a burglar to prevent a burglary.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Tracking on the Tyra Banks Show

Social Media Messages Telling Too Much?

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

By now you’ve heard about a Web site called PleaseRobMe.com. This site is re-posting people’s messages, and uses a location-sharing technology to post where you are when you’re not at home. The sites motivation is to teach people they are putting themselves at risk.

I’m not a fan. There are better ways to teach and raise awareness.

I had a chance to appear on the CBS Early Show to discuss this site and its impact on personal security. Prior to doing the show I Tweeted, as I always do, to make my contacts aware of the show. What did I Tweet?

“I’m on the CBS Early Show at 7:40am discussing PleaseRobMe.com politely suggesting violence. My home is alarmed & my German Shep will bite you!” I figured it was appropriate due to the nature of the segment I was about to do.

Robbery is “Larceny using threats or violence”. Or as PleaseRobMe may say, please take from me and hurt me in the process. This isn’t tongue and cheek, it borders on “inciting violence.”  And that day may come.

For years I’ve been barking about personal security as it relates to social media and the risks involved. I’ve written numerous times about how social media requires a risk vs. reward assessment.  Plain and simple, putting all your life’s details in one place makes it easy for the bad guy to gather intelligence about you.

While I believe the site has the right intentions to bring awareness to the issue, and they’ve certainly made an impact, the site is irresponsible and unethical. It’s entirely inappropriate for them to shine a big bright light on people and say “Please Rob Me”. Because some whacko just may do it. Then what?  Do the sites operators then say “I told you so” If they have a lawyer, he’s probably getting ready to buy a new home from all the money they will have to pay him.

Ending up featured on this site is the new “Scarlet Letter” of stupidity. Please, don’t be stupid.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing sharing too much in social media on the CBS Early Show

Overcoming Civilized Conditioning

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What would you do if confronted by a bad guy? How would you respond? Freeze up? Run? Fight?

You have been taught all of your life not to hurt another human being and that’s a good thing. From birth we are told to be kind to one another and have manners. This is called ‘civilized conditioning.’ Civilized conditioning is why we don’t walk around smacking each other. This cultural conditioning allows us to get along in a civilized society.

However, you know bad things still happens every day. We are all to well aware there are some people out there who are considered un-civilized. These are people who don’t share the same boundaries you and I do.

Civilized conditioning is a double edged sword. On one hand it prevents us from being physical with another person unnecessarily, but on the other hand it prevents us from being physical with another person necessarily to protecting ourselves. Civilized conditioning is also responsible for making a person freeze up, stop breathing and panicking when someone attacks them.

Are you a parent? Ask yourself this, if someone bad was to walk up to your child and put their hands on them, what would you do? Answer? Without hesitation you would respond like a bear protecting her cubs. Why? The parental instinct to protect a child is born within you as an adult and never goes away.  So understand, you do have it in you, you just have to know how to tap into it when it comes to protecting yourself.

Tools to overcome civilized conditioning when necessary:

  1. Recognize that nobody has a right to violate you in any way.
  2. Understand that resistance is often the best way to get out of a dangerous situation.
  3. Ask “What if” questions and prepare your mind and body to respond to danger.
  4. Visualize potential scenarios and act out how you would respond.
  5. Take a self defense class. Learning self defense is a life enhancing experience.
  6. Make sure you have an acute awareness of your environment when you are getting out of your car and walking to your destination. If anything feels wrong seek safety immediately.
  7. When possible always run to safety when attacked. The worse thing you can do is nothing.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing trusting your intuition.

How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft During Tax Season

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

Approximately 155 million tax forms are filed annually.  People need to understand that thieves are inventing new ways to steal identities each and every day.  And since tax time is a key period when we see a spike in identity theft, it’s crucial that we get the word out now and educate people about the latest scams.

File Early. It seems crazy to think that someone would actually file taxes in your name, but it’s being done. Once they get a hold of a few W2’s or other tax related documents that give them an idea of what your tax return will be, they being the process of filing in your name and reap your return. File before they do.

Secure Your Mail. Mail is stolen every day. Tax forms have social security numbers. When mailing your taxes don’t put them in your mail box with the red-flag up. Use a secure mailbox at the post-office or a big blue box.

Tax Preparer Scams. Reports of tax preparers telling clients they must pay back stimulus payments and then pocketing the money is last years scam coming back. Not all professional tax preparers have your best interest at heart. Make sure you do research and choose your tax preparer wisely.

Late Payment Scam. As people fall behind on their taxes, lists are created and available either internally or printed in the local paper as public record. These lists can fall into the wrong hands and thieves call unassuming people to collect.

Internet Phishing Scams. The IRS doesn’t send emails. Phony IRS e-mails that try to lure tax payers into giving out personal information are a common scam. This scam is generally used as a means to convince individuals to provide personal or financial information that enables the perpetrators to commit credit card, bank fraud or other forms of identity theft.

Protect your PC. Whether or not you are filing online it is essential that your PC is secured. All the basics include making sure you have updated anti-virus, a two way firewall, spyware removal software run regularly, and be sure to protect your wireless internet connection with a network key.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Tax Scams on Fox News