How Criminals Use Social Media to Target Victims (and What Not to Post)

Key Points 

 

• Criminals use passive surveillance and active targeting on social media, monitoring posts, searching photos for valuables, and developing relationships using a fake identity.  
• Several high-profile cases in Southern California confirm the dangers of posting certain information online, including property identifiers and valuable belongings.
• Practices such as not posting your vacation photos until after you’re back home and recognizing red flags when making connections on social media can protect you and your property from burglars and scammers. 

From major life events to daily routines, people share a lot of their lives on social media. Criminals are using this to their advantage, monitoring these platforms to gather data and find their next victims. 

 

This practice is becoming much more common, especially in Southern California. The LAPD reported 11,303 burglaries in 2025, with about 3,000 occurring in the San Fernando Valley in the first half of the year alone. The city department and the FBI have issued formal warnings about criminals who stalk public social media accounts to identify properties worth targeting. While you may have heard about high-profile figures getting robbed, it’s not only celebrities: Anyone with a public social media account and visible assets can be targeted.

 

Let’s discuss exactly how criminals use social media to target victims and review recent cases in LA and Southern California communities. We’ll then show you how to better protect yourself and your property against online threats.

The Tactics Criminals Use and How They’re Watching You Online

Modern criminals use social media in two general ways: through passive surveillance and active targeting. Passive surveillance is the monitoring of social media posts and accounts. Burglars use this tactic to gather information about potential victims, including their locations, routines, and home security vulnerabilities. 

 

Active targeting involves using social media to build trust with potential victims. This often involves making a fake or duplicitous account and developing relationships with other users, whom criminals later exploit and steal from. 

 

Here are some more specific scenarios of both tactics: 

Monitoring Vacation and Away-From-Home Posts

Real-time posts about your vacation away from home signal that your house is empty. Tagging locations, posting check-ins, and sharing travel itineraries invite burglaries to take advantage of your absence. Other property signals, such as no cars in the driveway and packages piling on the porch, help to confirm that nobody’s home. 

Searching for Valuables in Photos

Pictures and videos with highly valuable items—whether they’re front and center or in the background—are also used by criminals. We saw this occur at scale in 2024, when multiple professional athletes’ homes were burglarized. The FBI issued a warning to sports leagues to keep “boastful” images of valuables offline, NBC News reported. 

 

Star athletes, including Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow, were victims of burglaries in 2024. The thieves, whom the FBI suspects were South American organized theft groups, mostly took cash and high-value belongings. 

 

Not all criminals go after famous people, and you don’t necessarily have to have a large following to be at risk. Any person with a public social media account who posts about their life, particularly the inside of their home, could be a target.

Posing on Dating Apps and Social Platforms

Criminals may also organize romance scams, creating a fake dating app or social media profile to build a relationship and gain their victim’s trust. The most recent, high-profile example of this is the case of LA model and influencer Adva Lavie, who went by Mia Ventura and under aliases when posing as the girlfriend of wealthy older men before stealing valuables from them. 

Analyzing EXIF Metadata and Geo-Tagged Photos

EXIF (which stands for Exchangeable Image File Format) metadata are the technical details embedded within images that can be tracked and exploited by cybercriminals. The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) reported that most smartphone photos contain embedded EXIF metadata that can reveal timestamps, the model and manufacturer of your phone, and, most critically, the photo’s location. 

 

Even a photo taken in your living room or backyard, with no obvious location markers, can expose location data to criminals. Reverse image search and Google Street View are also well-documented tools used by burglars. 

Real Cases From LA and Southern California

In recent years, there has been a rise in Los Angeles cases of criminals using social media to track down and steal from victims. Here are two high-profile stories that serve as cautionary tales: 

The “Mia Ventura” Case

From 2023 to 2025, LA model and social media influencer Adva Lavie used dating apps to steal from the wealthy older men she dated and younger women in her social circles, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Lavie, also known as Mia Venture, Shoshana, and Shana, stole cash, gold, and high-end designer items. According to podcast host Michael Sartain, who spoke with ABC7, she has also robbed fellow female panelists of their credit cards and cash. 

 

Following a preliminary hearing in March 2026, Lavie was held to answer on six felony counts, to all of which she pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set as of publication. 

LA’s “Most Tasteful Burglar” 

In early April 2026, NBC News published a burglary-spree story that had been years in the making. This report starts with Victoria Paris, an influencer whose Silver Lake house was broken into while she was away. The burglar stole “at least $15,000 worth” of designer accessories, including bags, scarves, and jewelry. 

 

Though not confirmed, it’s likely that the criminal relied partially on passive surveillance, stalking Paris’ social media and waiting until she was out of town before breaking into her home. 

 

Paris posted about the burglary, hoping to connect with any of her followers who might have information about the criminal. Her posts garnered attention from other victims in the Los Angeles area who believed it was the same man stealing from them. Several of the other crimes were furniture dealer theft, including a 21-piece Mah Jong sofa priced at $58,000.

 

The prime suspect is Zack Vincler, a man previously convicted of burglary and identity theft. He spent eight months in jail and was released on probation in March 2024. His current whereabouts are unknown, and the victims and furniture collectors still worry that he’s still an active threat planning his next crime. 

What Not to Post on Social Media: A Practical Checklist for Southern California Residents

How we use social media and what we decide to post affects our security against criminal threats. The following safety measures strengthen the security of your property, privacy, and belongings. 

What to Keep Off Your Feed Permanently

When posting photos or videos online, always exclude the following things. Be conscious of both what’s physically in the content you post, as well as the text added to a photo and the details spoken in a video. All of these components can be exploited by burglars using passive surveillance to learn more about you. 

 

• High-value belongings, such as watches, jewelry, designer bags, or large amounts of cash
• Your home’s layout, security setup, or entry points
• Your home address, neighborhood name, or recognizable landmarks near your home
• Your daily routine or predictable schedules, such as your gym location and times, commute routes, and recurring social outings. 

Before You Leave Home

Whether you’re leaving for the day or for a couple of weeks, you don’t want criminals to get word that your home is empty. Follow these social media best practices: 

 

• Don’t announce travel plans or departure dates in advance
• Don’t post real-time check-ins at airports, hotels, or tourist destinations
• Turn off location services on social media apps
• If you do want to post about a trip or vacation, wait until you’re back home 

If you are planning a vacation, make sure to inspect your home’s security features before you go, or install new ones to better fortify your property. From live video monitoring and remote access control to simple practices like ensuring all doors and windows are locked before leaving, strengthening your home security gives you more peace of mind while you’re away. 

On Dating Apps and Social Platforms

Social platforms are designed to help people connect. While many dating apps have safety features in place, you can and should further protect yourself from threats or scammers by: 

 

• Being cautious when someone expresses interest in where you live or when you’re home. Never invite a stranger to your home; instead, meet in a public location, or if the conversation or connection feels off, don’t meet at all. 
• Limiting personal details, including your home address, where you work, and any other things you don’t feel comfortable sharing. 
• Reporting suspicious activity either on the dating app itself or to the LAPD (213-486-6840 Robbery-Homicide) or LASD (818-878-1808)

Photo and Tech Tips

Finally, disable EXIF metadata on your phone camera before posting. You can do this by going to your phone’s settings and finding location services. While you’re in settings, you can also audit and edit your privacy settings on the social media platforms you use regularly. 

 

How Post Alarm Helps Protect Southern California Homes From Social Media-Savvy Criminals

Awareness of social media-related crimes is the first line of defense, but it’s not enough on its own. Serving homeowners in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Malibu, and surrounding communities, Post Alarm combines expert knowledge of criminal trends with advanced security technology to deliver the best in property protection. 

 

For more than 70 years, Post Alarm has provided customers with the most advanced and reliable security solutions available. As a privately held, local, third-generation family business, Post has provided alarm and patrol services to Southern California communities, neighborhoods, and homeowners since 1956.

 

As one of the only local, full-service security organizations in Southern California, we’re proud to provide customized security solutions that enable earlier threat detection and a synchronized response, helping you get the support you need faster when it matters most.

 

Ready to build your home security system? Reach out and get a free security quote today!

 

FAQs

Can criminals find my home address from a photo I post online? 

Yes, photos taken on smartphones contain embedded EXIF metadata, which can include precise GPS coordinates even when no location is visible in the image itself. Criminals and cybercriminals can extract this data using freely available tools. Disabling location services for your camera app before shooting and sharing photos is one of the simplest ways to prevent this exposure.

 

What are the warning signs of a romance scam on dating apps? 

Red flags include someone who quickly asks where you live, presses to know when you’re home alone, or pushes to meet at your residence rather than a public place. Scammers often build trust rapidly before making unusual requests or steering conversations toward personal and financial details. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Report the account to the platform and avoid sharing identifying information.

 

Is it safe to post vacation photos if my social media account is set to private? 

A private account significantly reduces your risk, but it doesn’t eliminate it entirely. Followers can screenshot and share content, and account security is only as strong as your weakest connection. The safest practice is to wait until you return home before posting any travel content, regardless of your privacy settings. Also, ensure your follower list consists only of people you personally know and trust.

 

What home security steps should Southern California residents take before traveling? 

Before leaving, verify that all doors, windows, and garage entry points are secured, and consider installing a monitored alarm system with remote access so you can check in from anywhere. Avoid signaling your absence on social media, and ask a trusted neighbor to collect packages or park in your driveway occasionally. Professional security monitoring services can also provide real-time alerts and a faster coordinated response if a threat is detected while you’re away.