Pearls of Travel Wisdom Giveaway: LoJack for Laptops
Do you know someone who has had their laptop stolen? I do. And not just one person but unfortunately many and most had it stolen while traveling.
Does the thought of having your laptop disappear instill terror? Think about its contents: documents for business, photos of family and friends, financial records, passwords, and so much more.
LoJack for Laptops by Absolute Software helps users remotely lock, delete files, locate and recover a stolen laptop and protect the data contained within.
Key features include:
- Lock – Remotely disable laptops or display custom lock out messages, ensuring information remains secure.
- Delete – Remotely erase sensitive data, greatly reducing the risk of identity theft.
- Locate – GPS and Wi-Fi geolocation features map and display a laptop’s current and past whereabouts.
- Recover
– 400+ laptops recovered each month due to Absolute’s persistence technology, dedicated Theft Recovery Team, and relationships with over 6,200 police agencies.
According to laptop theft reports filed to Absolute’s Theft Recovery Team:
-
Six out of the top 10 places where laptops are stolen are locations frequented by travelers. They are:
- Automobiles (#3)
- Hotels/motels (#6)
- Restaurants/cafes (#7)
- Stores/shopping malls (#8)
- Public transit (taxis, buses, etc.) (#9)
- Airports (#10)
- A Ponemon Institute study reveals that up to 12,000 laptops are lost weekly at US airports – that’s 600,000+ lost laptops per year just at airports!
Top 10 Laptop Security Tips for Airports (according to Absolute)
- Always have your laptop as part of your carry-on baggage.
- Use an inconspicuous laptop bag, backpack or tote bag so that it’s not obvious you have a laptop with you.
- Add identification tags to your laptop bag.
- Never leave your bag unattended, even to use the washroom or to talk to airport personnel.
- Do not proceed through the security check until you’ve noted your laptop, in its own bin, is in the x-ray machine detector.
- Keep an eye out for your laptop as it exits the x-ray machine. This is a common time for people to attempt to ‘swap’ laptops.
- Don’t forget your laptop at the x-ray machine. This is more common than you think.
- Clearly mark the exterior or your laptop so it cannot be swapped when you aren’t aware.
- Place your laptop under the seat in front of you while on the airplane, not in the overhead bin.
-
Consider placing theft protection stickers on the exterior of your laptop. Opportunistic thieves may be wary to steal your laptop if they think they’ll be caught!
One lucky reader will win a copy of LoJack for Laptops (Windows or Mac).
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Contest rules:
Add a comment below and share your most important travel safety tip.
Bonus entries:
- Sign up for our FREE 70 Secrets to Safe Travel ebook and our Pearls of Travel Wisdom newsletter.
- “Like” SmartWomenTravelers on Facebook and add your travel safety tip to our July 30th post.
Limit: 3 entries per person. Enter by August 4, 2012 midnight eastern time. Age 21+. The winner will be contacted by email.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Wishing you (and your laptop) safe travels!
Having 2 copies of all your travel documents!
When I travel I always make sure I make 2 copies of everything..including passport. I store one set in my carry-on and one in my purse. 🙂
As a female who travels a lot for business, so quite often by myself, my best advice is to be alert and when you have a bad feeling about something, pay attention. Also, leave copies of all important documents and travel plans with a trusted friend at home.
Stay alert and aware of your surroundings-someone who is actively scanning what is going on around him (or her) is not an easy target like someone who is preoccupied with texting, emailing, or surfing the internet.
Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.
Source: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html
Trust your instincts. You don’t want to ever have to regret not doing so.
Travel safety? Pay attention to your surroundings, avoidt standing out, know the culture you’re in, don’t take things for granted, have a backup plan in case things go wrong.
Always take your wallet with you when you leave your set to the restroom in a long haul flight.
I always carry two bags when I travel. I have a small billfold with a shoulder strap that I always have on across my body, under my jacket and then a larger “tote” for items I want to access. I keep money, credit cards and passport in the small bag. Everything else goes in the tote along with a bit of cash for tips etc. Since I have to take my coat or jacket off at the security checkpoint anyway, the smaller bag goes in the bin with everything else. But that’s the only time it’s away from me. If someone does try to pull away my tote (and it does happen) I still have the critical docs with me.
I always copy front and back of credit cards, plus passport and medical insurance cards. Then, I scan the pages and email them to myself with a “reminder” subject heading (for security reasons).
In case my wallet is stolen, I have immediate access to the card numbers and the phone numbers to call. Much less stress in the event the information is needed.
(p.s. when I return from travel, I delete the email.)
Such great travel safety tips by everyone! Thanks for sharing with fellow travelers. Wish there were enough copies of LoJack to give away to everyone! One lucky winner will be drawn on Saturday.
Keep the comments coming… they’re excellent ways to keep ourselves and our stuff safe!
I worry about having my camera stolen so at first just put black tape over the strap everywhere it said “Nikon” but am now ordering a strap that can’t be slashed. Also ordering a slash proof bag for my iPad.
Also, Capital One has a Visa card with no foreign transaction fees and you can customize it with your picture. I put my picture on it holding a sign “this is the owner of this card”. Probably wouldn’t help much but gives me some measure of satisfaction!
Sometimes I end up checking a bag and if so always lock it with an approved ATS lock and take its picture. The picture has come in very handy when the bag has gotten lost (as they tend to do which is why I only check on the way home). And if flying home through somewhere with a very dubious airport I even get that dreadful shrink wrap on it so it just isn’t worth trying to get into.
It sounds silly….but ALWAYS be aware of the people around you whether in a loooong line, seated in a public area, walking, or in your seat on plane, train, or public transportation.
Katie — This is definitely not silly! Great advice!
I always call my credit card companies before I travel to inform them of my plans. This helps greatly with fraud monitoring. I also take only two credit cards and a debit card ( for ATM withdrawals). These I copy and leave at home with a copy of my passport so that a friend can find them if I should need the information.
Safe travels everyone!
Thanks for the tips Susan!
Hi Ozaer — this is a great tip! I’ve seen wallets left behind when a guy goes to the restroom, and I often do the same with my purse. There’s nowhere to really put my purse (I wouldn’t be caught dead putting it on the restroom floor!) so I’ll usually zip it up in my laptop bag or throw my shawl over it. But it is better if we have these with us at all times.
I scan a copy of all travel documents and credit cards and upload them to Dropbox. So I have access to them if I lose anything.
Take pics with your phone of your checked bag receipts, boarding passes, even passports., in case you lose any of them.
Get a renter’s insurance. It covers many electronics even when you travel
Check your pockets immediately if someone ‘innocently’ bumps into you.
My travel tip is for people who use public transportation in foreign countries…Always keep a little money in your sock, or bra (for women) just in case you are pickpocketed (even with things zippered or placed in front of you, where you can see it @ all times…it still happens!).Then you have at least money to get home or enough to try to continue on your day. I never keep all my credit cards, cash, passport, etc…in one place anyway…
When traveling in large cities, carry a “dummy wallet” (with expired or fake credit cards and a little cash) in an accessible pocket. Keep your real credit card, etc, inside a secure money belt under your pants or shirt.
It’s the small details – my big tip, when needing to review a map, look at your phone, text, etc…stop walking – you lose track of your surroundings and are at very high risk (and a very easy target). If you need to check a map or your phone, stop walking, step to the side and do so – then continue – much easier to stay ssafe
Item 2 – use cloud backup software for your laptop & phone. Whether it’s stolen, lost, or even breaks – it is WELL worth the small investment to have those family pictures, tax returns, (and frequent flyer balances!) etc. back in your hands in days or hours versus weeks!
I’ve had great luck with CrashPlan – but look around at others too!
How true! We tend to zone out when glued to our phones/maps. Always be aware as many readers have well said!
As someone who has a laptop ready to kick the bucket (new laptop arriving Monday!), the importance of backup is so important! Thanks for your great tips!
Make an electronic copy of travel documents and email to an account you can access via the web. Should you lose everything or get it damaged easy access to the web provides backup.
Never accept a ride from one of the guys at baggage claim asking you if you need a taxi.
I carry my credit cards in two different spots and my husband and I don’t carry the same cards in case one is shut down for some reason.