Tip #4313 - Dealing with Computer Theft Printer Friendly Version | E-Mail This Tip
Q:
The other day, you gave us some suggestions on how to prevent computer
theft, but what if it's already happened? What are we supposed to
do if our computers are stolen? It hasn't happened to me, but I did
have a friend who had their laptop taken from them and I'd just like
to know what we're supposed to do in that kind of situation. Please
share any tips you may have!
A:
There's nothing like being prepared and that's
exactly what you're doing for yourself by asking this question, so
I give props to you! Yes, the other day (on Wednesday to be exact),
I wrote an article that gave you some tips on what you can do to prevent
your computer from being stolen. That tip was mainly for laptop owners,
because they often have their laptops with them wherever they go,
but it could happen to desktop owners as well. If you use a desktop
computer, you're not exempt from the theft that goes on from day to
day. It could happen to anyone!
If
you've ever had your computer stolen, you know how stressful it can
be. It's always an unfortunate thing, but there are some things you
can do to fight it. These are things every computer user should know,
so even if it's never happened to you, it's a good idea to keep these
things in mind. I really hope it never happens to any of you, but
like I said before, there's nothing like being prepared just in case.
Below are a few suggestions on what you should do if your computer
is taken from you. Let's take a look!
1.) Contact
the Authorities - As with any other crime, computer theft
should be reported to your local authorities as soon as possible.
If your computer was taken from your home, you should report a burglary
so that a statement can be written up about your missing property.
The sooner you do that, the easier it might be to find your computer
and get it back to you. Also, if your computer is stolen, you'll probably
want to put an insurance claim on it and insurance companies always
ask for a police report, so you'll just be saving yourself some time
in the end.
Now, what if you
have your laptop with you outside of your home and it's taken from
you? What do you do then? Well, for example, if your laptop is stolen
while you're at the airport, always notify the airport security about
the situation. They will be able to write up an incident report for
you there and then get the police involved if need be. Or, maybe you
take your laptop to work with you. In that case, it's always possible
that one of your fellow employees will take it. If that happens, you
should contact one of your superiors or even the human resources department.
They should be able to help you in that type of situation. No matter
where it happens, always contact a superior and they should be able
to help you get things straightened out.
2.) Always
Protect Yourself - After contacting the authorities, you
should then worry about protecting the information that was on your
computer. To do that, you will need to be on a computer, so if you
can, use a friend's computer, go to the library, a school or just
any place that has an available computer with Internet access. Once
you've found a PC to use, you should do the following:
-
Log
in to any accounts you had set up on your computer (bank accounts,
your e-mail account, PayPal, iTunes, eBay, any instant messaging
accounts, etc.) and change your passwords. If that information was
saved on your computer, whoever stole it could have easy access
to all your personal information, so you want to shut that avenue
down right away.
- If you have any
other sensitive information saved on your computer (any of your bills,
bank PIN numbers, credit card information, cell phone numbers and so
on), you should contact those companies to either flag your account
or change it altogether. Some companies can even monitor your account
for you, just to be sure no unusual activity is going on.
- Next, you should
contact the manufacturer of your computer to let them know what has
happened. They can make a note in their database that your computer
has been stolen and if anyone tries calling in for support on it, they
can notify you.
- You should also
take the time to learn more about identity theft, because with your
computer gone, you're at more risk of it happening to you.
- Depending on what
you use your computer for, you may have some of your work information
saved on it. If any of it is confidential company information, government
related information or stored personal information of others, you should
notify your employer right away so that they can take the necessary
steps to protect themselves as well.
3.) Getting
It Back - Once you've taken care of everything else, you
can then think about getting your computer back. You will definitely
need your computer's serial and model numbers, so if you don't have
that information written down, contact the manufacturer and they should
be able to get it for you. You should then give that information to
your local authorities as well. That way, if they happen to find your
computer, they will know exactly what to look for and they can easily
contact you about it.
You can also try
leaving some of your "not so sensitive" accounts open to
see if any activity occurs on them. For example, a MySpace account,
a Facebook account, a Flickr account, a YouTube account, etc. If you
log in to those accounts from another computer, you will be able to
see if anyone else has been using them. If you do notice some activity,
that may help in identifying the thief. You should also keep an eye
out at local pawn shops and even in the newspaper want ads to see
if the thief is trying to sell your computer. You can even try placing
an ad in the newspaper for a lost computer. Make sure you describe
your computer the best you can and include its serial number. You
may even want to offer a reward if it's found. One last thing you
can do is visit such Web sites as www.stolencomputers.org.
Their main purpose is to list and find stolen computers, so they may
be able to help you out as well.
Hopefully some
of these suggestions will help those of you who have gone through
the awful experience of computer theft, as well as, preparing the
rest of you just in case it ever does become reality. Stay safe!
~ Erin
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