Since a recent study has pointed to the surprising number of laptops that are lost or stolen in US airports, we thought it would be useful to describe some of the best ways for consumers to deal with the loss of laptop. Aside from the immediate financial loss and loss of precious files, a missing laptop can significantly increase your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. Fortunately there are many precautions you can take to ease the pain of a lost laptop. If your laptop has been lost or stolen and you have not taken these proactive steps, your options are more limited, but there are still steps you need to take to mitigate the risk and cost of computer loss portable.
What to do before your laptop is lost or stolen
Consider a follow-up laptop with LoJack for Laptops: provides LoJack tracking software that locates your laptop via the IP address when the Internet thief logs. Their Absolute Theft Recovery team promises to work with the police to get your laptop back (see website for details).
backup your files with an online backup service. The loss of important and precious files such as financial records, emails, digital photos and music can be more frustrating and problematic than the loss of the laptop itself. By storing copies of all your files with an online backup service, you can be sure that if your computer is missing or your hard drive fails, all files can be easily recovered. Online backup services are easy to use, totally secure and can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation.
Guard against identity theft with a protection service against identity theft. To an identity thief, a lost laptop is a mine of information. Losing your laptop could expose your bank account online, online brokerage account, name, address, telephone number and email address, passwords, emails and personal accounting data to a criminal. If your laptop will not miss a protection against identity theft services will help prevent and detect identity theft.
Protect sensitive data. Make passwords work for you, not against you. Ideally, you should not store passwords on your computer. This includes passwords that are stored in your web browser toolbars or in a plain text format. Many Firefox users are not aware that, under a default, Firefox stores all your passwords in plain text, user names and web addresses sides. To access and clear your stored passwords, go to your menu bar and select Tools, then Options, then click the Security tab. On the Security tab, you can go to saved passwords, and select Delete all. If you need to store passwords on your computer, you must at least be sure to use a high primary log-in password to prevent unauthorized access to your laptop. Memorize it, and do not save it or write it down anywhere on or around your computer. Firefox also offers users the ability to create a master password that must be entered once per session and protects other saved passwords. You can do this by going to the Security tab in the Options menu. There are several websites, such as GoodPassword.com, that will help you create highly secure passwords. You can also encrypt sensitive data and disable instant message recording.
Use a laptop for follow-up and recovery service. There are a variety of products and services that are designed either to prevent laptop theft and loss or to locate a missing laptop. If you are concerned about the theft of a laptop in your office or in a hotel room, buy a lock that is similar to a bicycle lock, which will deter thieves. There are also various alarms that will alert you if someone is trying to move your laptop, or if you and your laptop are separated by more than a specified distance. There are many different recovery services that use GPS to track a laptop lost or stolen when it connects to the Internet. Some tracking software can be removed by reformatting the hard drive, but others are integrated into the computer itself and are harder for thieves to disable. Adeona offers high quality software for laptop tracking which can be downloaded for free on their website.
Ensure your laptop against loss or theft. Some computer manufacturers and distributors offer warranties that cover loss or theft. You can also buy insurance laptop through a third party or under your homeowners or renters insurance.
Label your laptop with your name and contact information. It is a good idea to label your laptop with your name and phone number in case it is lost and someone finds and tries to return it to you.
Make sure you have the serial number of your computer recorded somewhere in your home. Minutes of a missing laptop will be easier and more likely to be effective if you have the make, model and serial number handy.
Be aware of the risk of laptop theft. One of the best ways to prevent the theft of a laptop computer is to be aware that laptops are very tempting and relatively easy targets for thieves. Do not leave your laptop unattended in public. At airport security checkpoints, pay attention to your laptop as it passes through the X-ray machine Put a sticker with bright colors or other identifying mark on your laptop so you can easily recognize.
What to do after your laptop is lost or stolen
Subscribe to a service protection against identity theft. If you have not already, you should definitely subscribe to a protection service against ID theft as soon as possible after a loss of a laptop. Once your information has been compromised, there is no way to recover it. But a protection service against identity theft such as LifeLock or Identity Guard can help prevent criminals from using that information to open accounts in your name.
file a police report. While some police will not be particularly interested or concerned help you recover your laptop, others are surprisingly useful. This is when it helps to have the make, model and serial number.
file a complaint with the FTC. If your laptop is stolen, this will serve as a record of the crime. It helps the FTC to analyze and detect patterns of misconduct, and may be useful in the case of an investigation into the theft of your laptop or any identity theft that occurs as a result of your computer lost laptop.
Change all your online passwords. Whoever your computer can now access your bank accounts and online brokerage, email, PayPal, eBay, Amazon and all the social networking sites you belong. Change passwords now to prevent your online accounts being compromised.
If your computer contains information on all financial accounts, notify the financial institution immediately. If you use Quicken or other personal finance software, it is likely that your computer has a card for all of your financial accounts. You must notify the fraud departments of each of the accounts that you believe may have been affected. Representatives from each of these companies will be able to provide you information on what to do next, which may include the modification of personal information on accounts or even close completely.
Tell your employer. If your computer contains confidential business information about your work, you should inform your employer so that your IT staff may take precautionary measures to protect the personal data of other people. In some cases, failure to do so could mean you are breaking the law.
Keep an eye on Craigslist and eBay. It's a long shot, but if you're desperate to get your computer back, you can try to monitor Craigslist and eBay. You can also check local resale stores and computer repair shops. There is always a chance he might turn up.