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Community Newsletter: Q&A: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have?
- 8/23/07 4:58 PM
In room safes should be mandatory
by boomarella - 8/18/07 10:29 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First of all, hotels should provide their patrons with an in room safe for a nominal daily fee (usually $4.95/day). Secondly, they should instruct their housecleaning staff not to open several doors to rooms leaving them ajar while they clean other rooms. I've seen this countless times. In rooms where there has been no safe provided I've locked my iPod and laptop in my suitcase...which could just be rolled out of the room unfortunately. Hotels are responsible if they do not provide each hotel guest with an in room safe. I can't imagine you were the only people hit. If you were, then more than likely it was the hotel staff. I hope this was reported to the police.
financial info on stolen laptop
by paulboehme - 8/18/07 10:42 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
For many, many years, I thought I could not get along without Money or Quicken, but when offered 7.5% at a credit union, I had to go, even tho they had only CSV file update for the registers.
That is when I found I could survive using their online banking, I don't have my passwords on the cpu.
stolen laptop
by themouser - 8/18/07 10:47 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Upscale hotel in Norfolk? Don't think there is such an animal. The hotels have safes for your valuables. I would suggest this next time. Sorry, but I was born and raised in Norfolk and I wouldn't trust anything in that city. A 5 star hotel doesn't mean the people that work there are honest. They had probably been tracking you from the time you walked through the door. Hope you reported it to the police.
stolen laptop, sorry, would this help?
by tomears - 8/18/07 2:40 PM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Please don't think for one minute I am any kind of an expert, but I thought I might pass this on. I saw an article on the Corsair Flash Padlock flash drive that can be purchased as big as 2G. Wouldn't it be better to keep all important files on it or something like it for traveling? It has a combination lock, small enough for pocket or purse. Just plug in to your laptop when you need to and your information is safe and useable when you need it. As to safely backing up and securing your computer to unwanted users...I leave that to experts. At this point maybe http://www.lojackforlaptops.com/default.asp would help the next time. Very "untechnical" solutions. I know you must feel like you wish you had a remote that would just crash it, where ever it is. Be Brave.
nothings full proof
by nirie1 - 8/18/07 7:19 PM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
many responses involve you password protecting, backing up and encrypting your info yet there are problems with them all.
1. If someone really wants your info they will get it! I agree something is better then nothing so it makes sense to do some if not all of the safety measures. Yet remember some just get off on the thrill of craking a password or software. Some will do it harmlessly others maliously.
2. Removable backup/saving is great unless:
a: of course someone breaks in your home (doesnt seem to be as prevalent as years ago),
b: your house burns down
c: your thief of a guest takes it.
My solution is simple use passwords (letter, number, symbol comobs), write them down in case you forget them, I have an old laptop someone gave me that I cant for the life of me remember the password. Its more hassle to get new software when I already have the info somewhere else and it was a beater.
To solve losing info backed up externally due to fire or theft you need to have several methods of backup. I lost all my info due to hurricane katrina. Thank God I had all my info on a lexar jump drive which my daughter broke (lexar retrived data for free and drive was 3+ yrs old). Another option for backup is to save info with an online encrypted backup server (some are free). The problem with this is someone picking up your secure info wirelessly.
Yet as I said before there is no full proof method of securing your data or laptop. Lots of gov't agencies and large companies have computer secruity breaches. To really secure data some wont connect to the internet with computers that have improtant info. Yet if someone internally hacks in your screwed.
Its like trying to be 100% secure against fire, murder, illness or heart attack you can try your best but there are is no 100%. Sure you can move to a rural out of the way area in mid west, buy acres of land, build a moat around your propery, put in air missles, raise and grow your own food, make your own clothes, put up barbed wire, etc but one good twister and your doomed.
Why are you carring you "Whole Life" around with you?
by iammazon - 8/19/07 9:52 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Are you crazy? No one should be carrying around their whole life in a laptop.
Get a cheap laptop, put on only what you HAVE to have, add the encription software and hide it good.
I have a laptop, low end cost, that has my AOL software and software/drivers need for internet access thru WiFi and PC card wireless access. Passwords are encryped with Roboform and I only keep the ones I have to have, NO CC numbers or bank accounts.
No address, no phone, no personal info
I have the serial number of the laptop in my wallet, should I need to report it and I have it on file at home.
I also have placed UV marks all over the inside and outside, they can not be seen in regular light, only under a uv light.
Keep it simple, keep it safe, do everything you can to protect your
laptop, and know that if stolen you only have to worry about contacting your home owners Ins company.
People carry much to much personal info with them, wallets, purses, PDA's and laptops. Carry the minimum / worry less.
Good luck
And what if your home is burgled?
by AngelTiddles - 8/19/07 10:31 AM In reply to: Why are you carring you "Whole Life" around with you? by iammazonEven if you didn't carry much personal information, if your home gets burgled, you're stuck.
Keeping it on a laptop is just as bad as keeping it at home...it's still at risk no matter how secure it is.
laptop stolen
by Nannette1 - 8/20/07 9:08 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Anyone that has a laptop I recommend they purchase a software product called LoJack. Computrace® LoJack® for Laptops is a theft protection service that tracks, locates and recovers stolen laptop and desktop computers.
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If your computer is ever stolen…
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Very Impressive responses and Invaluable Information !!!
by djk_wff - 8/23/07 5:27 AM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Thanks to Lee and the Community on all the great thoughts and consideration, just an amazing response ... What an incredible group!
Here is an update to all on the scant details in my initial message to Lee. Btw, this is from the Dave, the one to which this larceny occurred!
Regarding the follow-up with the hotel, I am awaiting a check from their insurance claim. Not quite holding my breath, but being on their Frequent User's Club, and staying at that specific hotel a few times, It appears that they will at least cover the tangible cost of the material loss. So far, it's been quite a straightforward process, no threats, begging, etc.
Everyone was quit convinced (police, friends, CNET community, etc.) that this was an inside job. Someone at the hotel either saw us carry them in or was listening to a conversation, or some unknown something else. Nothing else was taken from the room, the wine, the luggage was untouched, etc. We also did find out the the card readers do track who uses cards to enter or exit the room, BUT can be bypassed by hotel employees (maintenance, etc.) That's rather sleazy, they have a method of bypassing their own security system. This hotel had ONE camera monitoring the front desk. This is kinda crazy, cameras are cheap and they should be on every floor watching the hallways, the elevators, etc.
What I did after we found out that we were ripped off, this is quite in line with the majority of the comments rec'd ...
- We immediately called the front desk and informed them.
- The Hotel notified the police and we filed a Police Report that night (the hotel had a moonlighting Lt. from the Norfolk Police Dept. on their payroll)
- We immediately went online from the hotel's computer and started changing passwords to all (well, most) of our accounts (banks, email, mortgage, online stores, etc., etc.)
- We went to Dell online and filed a theft form (that supposedly stopped Dell from providing service to those service tagged computers, prob also alerted their marketing dept of another potential sale!)
- We then filed a Fraud Alert with the 3 credit reporting bureaus (wise move, prompted by my alert and wise espousa)
- On Monday, we alerted out credit card companies and banks of the incident and they put 'notes' on our accounts. Collectively we decided to not close the accounts, due to the credit implications of closing accts., etc, etc.
- Daily, I have been tracking the bank accounts and credit cards to make sure that no spurious activity had occurred. (It's been 3+ weeks and we've been lucky, so far, no unauthorized stuff)
- Dell was kind enough to sell us 2 more laptops (lol), and they were actually delivered 1+ week early!
Lessons Learned ...
- Passwords on the computer are nice albeit kinda of a perfory protection. The real key is not allowing a situation that provides the thief the opportunity. IOW, hide your laptop in a hotel room or wherever you are.
- Backups are good for all reason, a preparation for many potential things, larceny, hard drive crash, etc., etc.
The data that was not backed up is lost, forever. Much was. My wife's research work from grad school (thankfully she graduated 2 weeks later), a huge music collection, pictures, etc, were not regularly backed up, but enough to minimize the pain...
Thanks again to the community for all this wonderful advice
and also to Lee for starting the thread and allowing this info to be shared ...
keep smilin', Dave
Very Impressive responses and Invaluable Information !!!
by bc66 - 8/23/07 12:47 PM In reply to: Very Impressive responses and Invaluable Information !!! by djk_wffNow that you know what you know and all of the invaluable information, I hope that you do get your check to replace it fully, now that you know what you know.
Also, I wouuld seriously consider talking to hotel management about adopting policies that do not let hotel employees work around the security systems in the hotel rooms. Also insist that there be video survailance cameras on every floor where guest rooms are. Finally, I would also talk to your state representatives and senators about making it a mandated requirement in the state in which you live in that all hotel employees be required to be bonded prior to taking such positions that involves going into guest rooms in hotels.
You may not be able to prevent such theft perfectly, however, besides doing all of the protections on the computers and hiding it out of view, having some ground rules and policies both on the end of the hotel and the legal end decreases the risks of being victimized even more.
Death to ID Thieves
by abanwart - 8/24/07 4:55 PM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I doubt it would be considered legal, and catching them is difficult, but if someone (Person T) uses the identity of Person V, Person V should be able to kill Person T, since they are (were) Person V, making it suicide, not murder. Suicide is illegal in some states but, since Person V is still alive, they must not have committed suicide, so no crime committed.
STOLEN LAPTOP - LOJACK FOR LAPTOPS
by TexanInExile - 8/26/07 9:00 PM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Whenever I bought a new laptop from HP about 8 months ago, they offered Lojack for Laptops for a fairly nominal annual fee.
You install the software, and if the laptop is stolen, you call them, and they activate something that helps the Police track it down. They claim a 90% recovery rate.
Good Luck
My laptop was stolen too...any chance you can summarize?
by leeedeee - 9/5/07 2:40 PM In reply to: My laptop was stolen, what concerns should I have? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
To Dave of Onancock, Virginia
Hi, unfortunately, my laptop was just stolen out of my hotel room as well. Is there anyway you can summarize the 189 posts (just the relevant bits...i.e.; what to do now)?
I feel your pain...thanks...
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