Lost laptop computers may cost you more than you realize

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July 2nd, 2008 - Posted by Caitlin

The recent Ponemon Institute survey, commissioned by Dell, sheds light on just how many laptops are lost or stolen at U.S. airports. At 36 major airports, lost laptops total more than 10,000 a week. When smaller airports are taken into account as well, the total number of lost laptops rises to 637,000 a year. Laptops are most frequently lost at security checkpoints. Less than 35% of those lost laptops are ever recovered.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that 53% of travelers surveyed said that their laptops contained confidential company information, 65% make no attempt to protect that information. 77% said they would have no hope of recovering a laptop lost at the airport, and 16% wouldn't even try.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission recommends using tracking devices like Absolute Software's LoJack, which can help track down the location of a stolen laptop.

There are many services that can help ease the inconvenience and potential risk that occur when a laptop is lost. An online backup service will ensure that you still have copies of your important files. If you have sensitive personal and financial information stored on your laptop, an identity theft protection service will help prevent and detect identity theft. And if your identity is stolen, a credit monitoring service will alert you regarding any changes to your credit report. When laptop theft and loss is so common, why not take steps ahead of time to prevent some of the worst possible consequences?