BBB Advises Returning Students to Secure their Electronics

As students prepare to go back to school, many of them will carry cell phones, iPads, iPods, laptops and other electronic devices everywhere from the classroom to the car. The Better Business Bureau reminds students and their parents to talk about ways to keep electronics and personal information out of the wrong hands.

“Marking school supplies with the students name and a notice “If lost please return to” in the hope that something will be returned is just not sufficient” says Sandra Crozier-Mckee, President and CEO of the BBB serving Southern Alberta and the East Kootenays. “Thieves are interested in stealing more than your personal property. They could be trying to gain access to sensitive information such as emails, text messages, calendars, bank account information, Social Insurance Numbers, photos, and even social media network logins.

College campuses, cafeterias, local hang outs and even classrooms can be an easy target for those looking to "score" expensive electronic devices and personal information. .

BBB offers the following advice to students and parents on how to keep personal property and sensitive information safe at school: 

• Use password protections. Even if a thief steals your electronic device, having password protections could limit their access to your personal information. Avoid sharing passwords with friends or carrying them around on paper.
• Avoid entering sensitive information into your device on unencrypted public wireless networks. Even novice hackers can download simple programs that allow them to track your movements online when you're using unprotected wireless networks. If you can avoid it, wait until you can use an encrypted connection to type passwords and other sensitive information into your web browser. 
• Use bells and whistles. Depending on your security needs, an alarm can be a useful tool. Some laptop alarms sound when there's unexpected motion, or when the computer moves outside a specified range around you. Or consider a kind of "lojack" for your laptop: a program that reports the location of your stolen laptop once it's connected to the Internet.

 For more information, or to arrange for an interview, please contact: