30 Ex-Burglars Reveal Where You Should Never Hide Your Stuff And Share Other Helpful Tips

I was curious to get the redditor's take on how to defend our home from would-be burglars and evildoers of every kind. Here's the advice that they gave Bored Panda: "The best defense is probably not having your house be an easy target to start with. Put up security screens, lock your doors and windows, cut overgrown plants and put up signs like 'beware of the dog'/'security cameras.'" They pointed out that you should probably put these signs up even if you don't own a dog or any cameras.

I also wanted the original poster's opinion about whether or not we should trust the advice of ex-criminals when it comes to security. "That's a tough one," they said. "Being criminals, I would say it's best to take their advice with a grain of salt, but on the other hand who better to ask then the people doing the burgling themselves, the burglars."

What's more, the redditor shared a bit of their experience about staying smart on the streets, especially in areas that aren't as safe. "I have found that generally if you keep to yourself (like not involving yourself or trying to break up in fights) and don't look at shady people, you will be fine."

The author of the thread, AsleepFondant, shared with Bored Panda that they were caught completely unaware by just how popular their thread was. They had no clue the question would go so viral. In fact, it was the very first time their post on Reddit got so much attention.

"I didn't expect it to blow up at all, I was shocked as that's the first time anything I have ever posted has blown up to that degree," they told me. They joked that they wish they'd posted the question on their main Reddit account, considering how much people liked it.

It’s not just burglars that we should watch out for. We also have to be aware of how safe we are online. After all, online shopping scams and swindles can be someone’s way to worm themselves into your wallet or to get private information.

Earlier, I’d reached out to the moderator team that manages the r/Scams subreddit for a few comments about online safety. According to one of the mods, online scams are a very different beast than real-life swindles.

"I think online shopping scams are different because you lose that layer of dealing with a real-life person. When you have a real person in front of you, a typical person will feel shame or guilt at the thought of taking advantage of a person,” they told Bored Panda.

“With the internet, you aren't dealing with a person, but a username and avatar. It is much easier to act maliciously when you don't have a real victim directly in front of you,” they said.

"Online scams also use a lot of tricks to pressure buyers; low prices, pushes to buy now!, taking advantage of someone's kindness or naivete (re: advance check fraud, money mules, etc), or advertising one product and sending another (or nothing at all, by using a fake tracking number). Getting a person to make a decision via high-pressure tactics and preventing them from reflecting and making a sound decision is key," the moderator from r/Scams explained how some scammers work.

"If a deal is too good to be true, it is. If you see a pair of brand new Apple AirPods advertised for $50, you are not getting an authentic product. There are many counterfeit items out there on the market, and you need to verify authenticity before hitting buy," they said that we should follow our gut instinct and listen to it if it’s warning us.

"Not only to avoid contributing to the counterfeit market, but because these knockoff products do not always go through the same safety standards of the real item; they may not be UL certified, they may use chemicals or ingredients that are not FDA approved and are unsafe for use on or in the human body, or could cause major harm to human life or property."

Something else that can give you an extra layer of security is switching your debit card for a credit card. "Credit card protections for most cards are much more forgiving than debit cards. You can generally get your money back faster if you were scammed or misled by a business, versus initiating an investigation through your bank. It is always smarter to pay by credit card (and pay off your balance monthly!)."