There is little worse than losing or having your laptop lost or stolen, as most of us have our whole lives documented on our devices. While you may be worried about the loss of photos that were important to you, you also need to consider that other important information may be compromised if your laptop gets into the wrong hands.
It is important that you consider the possibility of your laptop being lost or stolen as soon as you purchase a new laptop, and new security features can be installed to protect your personal data. Here is a guide on what you should do immediately after realizing you have lost your computer or have had it stolen.
Contact Authorities
If you have had your computer stolen, then you should be sure to contact the relevant authorities as soon as possible. It is important that you report the crime to the police as you may need to get a crime number from them if you plan to claim on your insurance at a later date.
If your laptop belongs to your place of work, then you should be sure to contact the relevant authorities at the company you work for, so they are aware of the situation. It is important that you let your employer know what has happened as there may be confidential company information on your computer that is now in the hands of someone else.
Disable Sync Features
Many of us have sync features across our devices now so that we can get things done while at home and on the go. Therefore, it is important that you disable these sync features as soon as you realize your computer has gone.
If you don’t, then any information you continue to input into your mobile devices will be accessible through your lost/stolen computer.
Protect Yourself
You are likely to be more concerned about getting your computer back, whether you have lost it yourself or have had it stolen. But first, you should consider the various types of personal data that could be accessed through your missing computer and how you can go about protecting yourself from being hacked.
You will need to get internet access from elsewhere and start to shut off access to your private accounts that could be gained through your computer. This will involve changing all your passwords just in case that information is pre-saved in your computer. Make sure that you change your passwords for your e-mail, eBay, PayPal, and most importantly your online banking.
Many of us access our bank accounts online now, so you should be sure to change the security information needed to enter your online account. You should contact your bank and make them aware of the situation and they may be able to advise you further. If you don’t do this, then you could find yourself losing a lot more than your laptop.
Try to Get It Back
Once you have made the relevant authorities aware of the situation and limited any access that could be gained to your personal information through your missing computer, you can consider how you may be able to get your item back. You may have already installed apps such as the Hidden app, as it provides anti-theft protection for your Mac which will allow
If you lose your computer or are a victim of computer theft, then try not to panic and take these proactive steps towards protecting any at-risk data, as well as improving your chances of getting your computer back.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
