Traveling is almost always a hectic experience: making sure that you have everything you need in your suitcase, driving to the airport through traffic, standing in line at the security checkpoint; these tasks always seem to take longer than you had planned. You throw all of your stuff on the x-ray conveyor belt, and step hastily through the metal detectors. Something somewhere beeps, and you are pulled aside for the full search, pat down and all. By now you are starting to run late for your flight, and things are getting a bit tense. You hurriedly put on your shoes and belt, grab your bag, and run off down to the gate. Fortunately, you make your flight by the skin of your teeth, and settle down into your seat with a sigh of relief.

Ten hours later you are in London unpacking everything, trying to relax before your big meeting the next day. Then you get that weird sinking feeling, like when you forgot your homework in the third grade. Something is missing. It’s your laptop. And it had your presentation on it…

Every week over 12,000 people share the same or similar fate. The worst part is, only about 35% of the laptops that are lost in airports are ever recovered. Part of the problem is that by the time you actually figure out that it’s gone, you’ve been in the foreign airport, on a bus or subway, in a taxi and who knows where else. Pinning down the location where you lost it can be almost impossible, let alone actually tracking it down.

Another issue is that even if you don’t lose the computer yourself, there are plenty of people out there who are willing to steal it from you. The most common scam is switching bags at the x-ray machine. Often working in pairs, thieves purposefully bring a bag that looks similar to many other popular types of laptop bags. One of the crooks creates a diversion at the machine that allows the other participant to switch their bag with yours. Next thing you know, you’re in your hotel room opening up your bag to find a phone book in it instead of a computer.

There are a myriad of things you can do to prevent both laptop loss and theft. Experts suggest placing an obvious label on the computer with your contact information. Websites like www.stuffbak.com sell custom labels with a phone number to call, at which point their service will contact you (which prevents you from having to put your own personal information on the label). In terms of preventing theft, just be sure to keep an eye on your personal effects at all times. If you are continuously watching it, no one can try and switch it out or take it.

Bringing our computers has become increasingly popular (if not necessary) for both business and personal travel. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of opportunities to lose these valuable pieces of technology. Be attentive and make sure someone can contact you if you lose your computer.

Safe Travels,

Ted Phelps

Customer Travel Consultant

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