What to do if your laptop is stolen
If you're certain your laptop was stolen, report the incident to the police immediately and take steps to protect your personal information. If you have a tracking service that pinpoints the location of your laptop, let the authorities handle any confrontations with the suspected thief. If you have not recovered your laptop and you have homeowners insurance and/or laptop insurance, file a laptop theft claim.
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What are the immediate steps you should take after discovering your laptop was stolen?
Notify your employer right away about a stolen company laptop
The sooner you act, the better. Any Personally Identifiable Information (PPI) and other sensitive, proprietary information stored on it could put you (and others, such as company customers) at risk of identity theft.
Your IT department should have procedures that can help lock down information on the computer. Also, your company's security department may ask about where and when the theft happened, whether it was on company premises or was stolen from your home, car, or another location.
File a police report
File a report for a stolen personal laptop. If you're attending school, start with campus security and follow their instructions.
Use your cell phone or other device to log out of accounts
Logging out of your accounts remotely can help protect your personal information. Log into your browser accounts to delete any saved passwords, disable autofill, and un-sync your browsers across devices. Before logging out, check for any location data available for your logged-in devices. Your laptop may be one of those devices, and you can use that information to track its location.
Change your passwords right away
Use another device or cell phone to change your most critical passwords (for example, to your banking/financial accounts) or your password manager.
What are some options for tracking your laptop?
Check your account with the manufacturer
If you've registered your laptop with the manufacturer, such as Apple or Microsoft, log into your account using another device and see if you can track it. If the laptop is connected to the internet, you may be able to locate it based on its IP address and internet connection.
Check with cloud service providers
If you haven't registered your device with the manufacturer, try logging into cloud service providers such as Gmail or Dropbox. Both Apple and Microsoft have "find my device" features. Some of these services offer similar features, allowing you to see the location of all your logged-in devices. If your laptop isn't connected to the internet, there are ways to track and protect it.
Important note: If you locate your laptop after it was stolen, give the information to the authorities. Don't try to retrieve your laptop yourself.
Should you file an insurance claim?
If you have a homeowner's policy, it may cover theft so you should file a claim. Alternatively, if you have a laptop insurance policy, you can file a claim with your provider. If not, it may be beneficial to have a laptop insurance policy, which would cover theft if it happens again.
Get a laptop insurance quote online or call 1-844-571-6742 to protect your laptop with computer insurance.
Ways to help protect your laptop and data
Electronics often come with a standard warranty that covers manufacturer defects, but warranties don't cover theft or accidental damage. You can get electronic device insurance to insure laptops, so if someone steals your device, you'll be covered and won't have to pay completely out of pocket for a new one.
It's a good idea to register your laptop with its manufacturer to help track it if it's lost or stolen. Even if you choose not to register, consider backing up your laptop regularly on an external drive or the cloud, so you don't lose any data if the device is damaged, lost, or stolen. Also store your device in a safe, secure place and take precautions should you take it with you on the road. Keep it out of sight if you leave it in your car.
Other steps to take:
- Enable 2-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): This adds more protection when logging into sensitive accounts.
- Delete saved payment information: If you've saved your credit card information on e-commerce sites like Amazon or other retailers, consider removing it.
- Clear your browsing data regularly: Avoid giving potential thieves information about your browsing history.
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