Changing your voicemail before a cruise?

[DandDM]

I think it comes down to some insight of who might be calling you and who has your number. Is your number 'out there' where suspicious people might be calling it? Not a lot of folks have my cell number and when I get an odd call, I'm willing to bet those folks don't even know my name, let alone where I live.

 

So I personally don't feel there is significant risk for me as I don't think my uncle, or a college buddy that I haven't talked to in a couple years, is going to decide to rob my house if they call and find out I'm not returning messages.

 

Your situation might be different. My best friend is always buying and selling stuff on social media- I think he would be an idiot for setting a message that he was out of town.

Edited September 12, 2017 by DandDM
typo

[wendychloecruiser]

I think it comes down to some insight of who might be calling you and who has your number. Is your number 'out there' where suspicious people might be calling it? Not a lot of folks have my cell number and when I get an odd call, I'm willing to bet those folks don't even know my name, let alone where I live.

 

So I personally don't feel there is significant risk for me as I don't think my uncle, or a college buddy that I haven't talked to in a couple years, is going to decide to rob my house if they call and find out I'm not returning messages.

 

Your situation might be different. My best friend is always buying and selling stuff on social media- I think he would be an idiot for setting a message that he was out of town.

 

You do realize that all numbers are fairly easily traceable with names and addresses?

[Dennis#1]

Just curious to see if im the only one who does this. I never answer my phone while on a 7 day cruise nor do I have a desire to text everyone I know before I go. So I change my voice mail the day of the cruise to advise im away from phone and will be unable to return any calls till such and such date. Anyone else do this?

 

 

I also do not answer my phone while on a cruise. I turn off the phone on day 1 and do not turn it on again until the last day.

 

Not a good idea to announce to the world that you are not home. As earlier stated, you are inviting someone to rob your house.

[DandDM]

You do realize that all numbers are fairly easily traceable with names and addresses?

 

 

 

I'm sure it is possible. I'd just encourage the op to not only consider the possibility of a worst case scenario, but also the probability.

 

 

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[SRF]

Maybe. There are ways to spoof the incoming call number.

 

I have actually received calls that came from my own phone number. Hmm, why would I be calling myself?????

[geomancer]

I post on fb. Everyone who knows me knows I on a cruise. I have my fb locked up pretty solid to non friends. Plus nothing in my house worth stealing. No money no jewelry etc. No power tools. I have family stay here sometimes too.

 

You may know that, but a thief wouldn't, and the end result is still a home with busted windows/broken in door and everything overturned/smashed. They also take far more than jewelry/money.

 

You may trust your friends, but do you trust your friend's friends? :D Don't forget you're relying on every one of them not mentioning to anyone else "so and so is on a cruise right now, I'm so jealous, I have no idea how they afford something like that!"

 

The best kept secret is the one you never tell :cool:

[Cigar King]

I'm wondering if anyone has any hard data showing a significantly increased risk by posting you are going on vacation to social media?

[katiel53]

I, also, am among those who don't change my email or post on social media that I am going away. My family knows where I am, how long I will be gone and how to contact me in an emergency.

 

I also live in an area with neighborhood watch and believe me, the neighbors do watch.

[geomancer]

I'm wondering if anyone has any hard data showing a significantly increased risk by posting you are going on vacation to social media?

 

I doubt there are statistics, because this isn't a 'factor' that gets reported into regular crime statistics. But it does happen.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-friend-suspected-in-burglary/

[Cigar King]

Almost anything can happen. There's a statistical probability though that I am not convinced changes based exclusively on social media. OTOH, I have nothing to back that up, so I'm just as bad as those one the other side of the issue.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

I change my work VM and set an auto reply to my work email that I'm out of the office and will have limited or no connectivity to work.

 

I do nothing for my cell phone VM, home answering machine (yes, we still have a home line) or personal email.

[Jeremiah1212]

Almost anything can happen. There's a statistical probability though that I am not convinced changes based exclusively on social media. OTOH, I have nothing to back that up, so I'm just as bad as those one the other side of the issue.

 

I would agree with you here. There are definitely isolated incidents, but I don't think it's as big of a concern as some people think it is. Maybe for the older generations that use their cell phones as a replacement for their former land lines, but younger generations typically use their phone as an actual phone very, very little. I can't even think of the last time I got a call on my cellphone from someone I did not know.

 

I rarely post on Facebook, but if I'm going to post personal pictures on Instagram I do usually put my account on private while we're away then change it back to public when I'm home. I have a few thousand followers and many of those I don't personally know. Considering there are ~100 million posts on Instagram daily....in reality the privacy setting change isn't even necessary. I share more on Snapchat which gives you total control of who sees what.

[Dennis#1]

Definitely not a good idea to change your voice mail and announce to the world that you will be on a cruise (i.e., not home).

[Davebhoy]

Think it's quite funny that many folk are on here advocating not posting anything to social media about being on holiday, yet have a cruise countdown in their sig saying exactly that.

 

Also, just because I'm on holiday, it doesn't mean that the rest of the family also are - plenty of folk still at home. I don't change my voicemail message, but that's purely because I'm too lazy to do it, and I'd probably forget to change it back when I got home.

[time4u2go]

Think it's quite funny that many folk are on here advocating not posting anything to social media about being on holiday, yet have a cruise countdown in their sig saying exactly that.

 

...

The difference is, on social media, you are identified (your name and picture, presumably). On this message board, you can remain completely anonymous.

[dreadpirate3]

Only for my work email, and even then, it just mentions I am away from the office.

 

My house is never empty, so pictures at X destination do get posted on my social media, which is only close friends and family accessible.

 

I get access in ports to my data plan and messaging.

[wendychloecruiser]

Think it's quite funny that many folk are on here advocating not posting anything to social media about being on holiday, yet have a cruise countdown in their sig saying exactly that.

 

Also, just because I'm on holiday, it doesn't mean that the rest of the family also are - plenty of folk still at home. I don't change my voicemail message, but that's purely because I'm too lazy to do it, and I'd probably forget to change it back when I got home.

 

The same "folk" who change their voicemail message are the same people who have cruise countdowns. You are absolutely correct in pointing out simple things people may overlook that may increase their risk of being broken into. Of course many people have other family members at home or house sitters but I would guess many do not.

 

And just because "you have nothing to steal" vandalism is sometimes worse than stealing a TV or computer. A friend of mine came home after a vacation to find her house covered in ketchup, mustard and rotting fish and meat obtained from her freezer. She was met at her door with a swarm of flies. She had to have ALL the flooring taken up, furniture and window coverings replaced and a lot of repairing. And yes, she did post photos and plans on social media. The "people" who did this left a note saying "we're having fun while your(sic) having fun."

[LMaxwell]

No, I don't even post to roll calls anymore or announce the dates I plan to cruise on here; I'll mention ship or itinerary, but generally not the date or cabin. Social media mentions/photos, IF any, come after we are home. No mention prior. My voicemail is a generic recording, for professional purposes I set up an email autoresponder.

[karena1]

I work from home. So what I do, is have our home phone transferred to my work phone. Then I leave a message just saying I am out of the office. My clients know it is really my home, but a nobody has no idea. so for me, it works.