Can Your GPS Lead a Stranger to Your Door?

Nowadays, almost everyone has a GPS.  As you drive down the highways and back roads, just about every car you see has one attached to the windshield.  Some newer models of cars come with the GPS as either a standard feature or an option.  A GPS doesn’t only tell you how to get where you’re going; it also tells you when you should be arriving.   If one of the roads you need is closed, or if traffic is unusually heavy, the GPS will tell you which detour to take.  For these reasons, I’m addicted to my GPS, just like millions of other people.

Yes, the GPS is a huge part of our lives, but do we ever think about how we can be risking our safety by using it?  Think of all the information about you that a criminal can get just by looking through your GPS’s “Favorite Places”.   Below is a scenario that is played over and over all over the country:

You just got a promotion at your job.  Along with this came a very large raise, so, to celebrate, you and your husband go out for a night on the town.  Your first stop is that new nightclub that opened a few weeks ago because a band that you both love is playing there.   You know the address, but aren’t sure how to get there, so you program it into your GPS.  You get to the club and hand your car over to the valet so you don’t have to walk unfamiliar streets to find it later.  If you have an in-dash GPS, it’s all but forgotten, but if you have a portable GPS, you stash it in the glove box so it’s out of sight.

Maybe your husband comments about the band and how long it’s been since you’ve both been to one of their concerts.  You tell him that you can’t wait and will savor every minute until the club closes and you are forced to leave.  During this conversation, the valet has heard every word.  He also noticed where you put your portable GPS, or that you didn’t turn off your in-dash GPS.  Who is this person that you just handed your car to?  Does he have a criminal background?  Well, whoever this person is, he now knows your plans for the entire evening.

The valet is doing a quick scan of your keys as you are walking into the club.  He notices that you are like thousands of others who keep their house keys on the same key ring as your car key.  He then takes your car and parks it.  He reaches for your GPS and scans your list of “Favorite Places”.  He hits the jackpot when he sees an entry listed as “Home”.

As he’s walking back to his post, the valet calls a friend who is stationed at a small café next door to the nightclub.  The friend is waiting outside to take your house key and address from the valet.  Once the key is in his hand, the friend gets it copied at the local hardware store and brings the original back to the valet, who then reunites it with your car key.  These criminals know that you will be out for the evening, but since they have your key and address, they could sit back and wait for a while.  By being patient, they realize that you may not remember that valet you gave your keys to a few weeks before.

Now, just remember that your home address isn’t the only one in your GPS.  A criminal will have the address of your job, your parents’ addresses and even the addresses of your children’s schools.  If your kids are active in extra-curricular activities, you may even have the locations of parks or other places where you pick them up after practice.  Without thinking, you could be risking your kids’ safety.

Aside from the safety risks, there are also many privacy issues to consider.  Do you really want strangers to know where your bank is, or your doctor, therapist or attorney?  Do you want a stranger to know where your vacation home is?

You can avoid some of these risks by being extra cautious.   Never leave your portable GPS in the car; always keep it with you when you make a stop.  In-dash GPS systems have security settings; learn how to use them and set a password.  This way, no one can invade your privacy through your GPS.

Sometimes, it’s the little things we don’t think about that can put us and our families in danger.  You would never intentionally risk your home or your family, but seemingly innocent actions (or inactions) can mean the difference between safety and danger.  Please take a few minutes to download the free Internet Privacy Guide at the top of the page.  You’ll get some valuable tips on how to keep your privacy safe on-line and off.