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THE Philippine National Police (PNP) warned the public against sharing personal information on social networking sites, which could jeopardize their privacy and security.

Senior Superintendent Rene Aspera, PNP- Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) chief of staff, said kidnapping syndicates have turned to social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in scouting for would-be victims.

"We have received some kidnapping cases in which we learned that the suspects learned about their victim through Facebook," he said.

Aspera urged the netizens to avoid posting photos or status messages showing their lavish lifestyle, wealth and material possessions, which can entice the criminals to haunt them.

"You should not expose what you have so they won't be interested in you and monitor you," the official said.

Aspera said there were already five Facebook-related kidnap cases that were monitored and the PNP is taking note of the new tactic.

He urged the public to set their social media accounts to private to limit the people who view their posts if the posting of unnecessary display of wealth and material possessions cannot be avoided.

For 2014, the PNP-AKG recorded 43 kidnap-for-ransom cases in Luzon and Mindanao. Twenty-four cases were considered solved.

However, it said that most cases involve Abu Sayyaf Group.

Eight kidnapping groups are now on the target list of the AKG. Three leaders of these groups were already arrested including Reccinte Padillo, Tyrone dela Cruz, and Martin Lico.

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PNP: Criminals lurk on social networking sites