Did you know that two computers were stolen from the Capitol during the rioting in January 2021 by Trump supporters? If people can steal laptops so easily from the security-infested offices of the American government, then your laptop is definitely in much more danger of being spirited away.
How then do you protect your brand new laptop from theft before you’ve even had a chance to use it? There are many ways to do so, but they all require preemptive measures. Read on to see how you can protect your new laptop from burglary and keep your precious data safe.
Put Your Mark on Your Laptop
This might seem silly to you, but it could act as a deterrent to thieves who need pristine laptops to sell on the market. Thieves won’t steal something they can’t resell – it defeats the whole purpose.
Use a permanent marker or even engrave your name on your brand new laptop using an engraving tool. Items like metal plates, barcodes, and warning tattoos, remove the illicit resale value. This reduces greatly the incentive to steal your valuable devices.
You could also use a tamper-resistant asset tag if you want to go a step further.
All this will ensure that your laptop isn’t as enticing to thieves as some other laptop around. Anything you can do to deter thieves, even in the smallest ways matters.
Don’t Leave Your Laptop in a Vehicle Even if Locked
This is a common mistake that people make. You might assume that your laptop is safe and sound if it’s locked in a vehicle, but that’s not the case.
Think about how easy it would be for a burglar to smash your car window open and grab whatever’s inside. It’s not going to take more than 2 minutes for them to do that.
And in those 2 minutes, you could lose one of the most important assets in your life. Or perhaps even more, if they end up stealing your wallet, phone, tablet, and other items left behind in your vehicle.
If you need to leave your valuables in your car, then leave them in the trunk! It does take a little bit of extra time to do this, but it’s worth it. Do not leave your valuable laptop in plain sight (like the passenger seat) for anyone to come by and grab it.
Don’t Carry Your brand new laptop in an Obvious Fashion
Thieves are always on high alert for anything that looks valuable and easy to snatch. If you are advertising your expensive laptop by carrying it in an obvious fashion, like in a laptop bag, then you are inviting attention when you should be avoiding it.
Try to carry your laptop in a way that doesn’t seem so transparent. How about using a backpack or putting your laptop into the thief-proof compartment of a side satchel (there are many on the market)? The best laptop bag is one that’s not (obviously) a laptop bag.
These small measures, even though they seem inconsequential, will add up in the long run and keep your precious expensive laptop safe from evildoers.
Be Careful When You Leave Your Laptop in Your Hotel Room
Too many people assume that the hotel will take charge of the security of their precious belongings when left in the hotel room. But in many cases, you are signing away any liability on the hotels’ behalf when getting your hotel room key, unaware that you’re doing so.
Be careful when leaving your laptop in your hotel room, even if you are just going out for a quick bite. A lot can happen in a matter of minutes. If possible, lock your laptop in your suitcase, so it’s not lying there, easy for the picking.
Also, always lock your hotel room and double-check to ensure you haven’t left it ajar. Don’t make it easy for others to grab your valuables!
Always Lock Your Computer When You Leave Your Desk
Even when you are at your office or in a meeting room at a coworking space, ensure that you lock your computer (it’s as easy as a Ctrl+Alt+Del in most computers). It will take you a second to lock your computer, but it can ensure that random folks can’t get into your laptop while you are gone and grab some valuable passwords or details from it.
It’s easy for unscrupulous folks in the know to grab information from your computer in a matter of seconds without you even being aware of it. Don’t give them that chance!
Use Your Laptop’s Universal Security Slot (USS)
Too many folks don’t even know that such a thing exists on many types of laptops. It’s a security hole or slot that allows you to plug in a security cable or thread some other security device through it, so you don’t ever have to leave your laptop vulnerable to theft or burglary.
Unless someone is carrying a hacksaw with them or something like that, they are not going to be able to break through the security cable fast enough or quietly enough to grab your laptop. It would be a waste of their time to bother with your laptop and they will likely go for something else that’s much easier to grab.
Do Not Leave Your brand new laptop in Coffee Shops or Restaurants Unattended
If you were a student in university at some point in your life and you had a laptop, you probably left your laptop in the library or a coffee shop, while you roamed about with your friends, or went for food or a cigarette. And guess what – your laptop was still there when you came back.
But things are different now. Laptops are being stolen from campuses, coffee shops, restaurants, vehicles, and more at an increasing rate. This is also because laptops are becoming easier to sell on the market, but also because they are becoming more and more expensive and intricate.
Also, don’t make the mistake of asking strangers to ‘keep an eye’ on your laptop while you visit the toilet or more. You never know if the stranger has good intentions at heart or not. You don’t want to regret your trusting nature later.
Keep your precious laptop and your data safe by always carrying your laptop with you. You might think that a few minutes here or there shouldn’t matter so much. But if you don’t have a security cable on your laptop, it takes less than 30 seconds for someone to pick your laptop up and walk off with it.
Report Your Stolen Laptop Immediately
Once your laptop is gone, you might be in shock and despair. But before you go into a woe-is-me state, report your stolen laptop asap. This is especially important if you are on a university campus or an office, where they can check bags or belongings for your stolen laptop easily.
The faster you report, the faster authorities can do something to recover your brand new laptop. Time is of the essence here. Do not delay!
Register or Track Your Laptop
Many different operating systems and laptops have a way for you to register and find your lost or stolen laptop. The most well-known of these has to be the ‘FindMyiPhone’ or ‘FindMyMacBook’.
When you register your laptop with commercial location software, it allows you to see the GPS location of your laptop and you can use this information to assist local authorities in catching the perpetrators in question.
Even if many thieves are privy to this now and switch off your phone or laptop to avoid detection, it’s still a good security measure to use for all those thieves who aren’t so savvy. It also gives you that extra sense of relief and security that your laptop has this added protection on it.
You’ve spent so much time, effort, and energy finding the best laptop for you. That’s why you must keep your precious darling safe. If you are on the market for a brand new laptop, then learn more about the Intel Evo platform for exceptional laptop performance by clicking the link.
Your Brand New Laptop Deserves Extra Loving Care
Just like you wouldn’t leave your brand new vehicle unlocked and unattended, you need to do the same for your brand new laptop. You spent upwards of three or four thousand dollars on it, so don’t make the mistake of treating it in a foolhardy fashion.
Preemptive strikes always work better in these situations. Better safe than sorry is never more true than when it comes to laptop security.
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