If you have ever lost your blackberry, cellphone, PDA, ipod or laptop then this post is for you. If there was nothing on your possession that could lead to its return to you then you are not alone. For only 5% of lost electronic items are ever returned to their rightful owners due to lack of identification and a convenient return process.
In a study by Pointsec Mobile Technologies, a moblie data protection company, one Chicago cab company reported what in a six month period cabbies found left behind in their 113 taxis. The list included 387 cellphones, 97 PDA’s and pocket PCs as well as 20 laptops.
With that in mind a Winnipeg Company came up with a new and modestly priced service. It’s called TrackItBack and it’s a lost and found service for portable electronics.
TrackItBack makes it easy to find your lost laptop, cell phone or PDA provided you have used their ID sticker labels and registered the items they are applied to on their website. If you lose your possession then each ID label has a unique code that tells the finder to contact TrackItBack to collect a reward. The service has a one time fee of $9.95 per item ID label and is available at London Drugs or online at their website.
When you lose one of your TrackItBack registered items and the finder does contact TrackItBack the company makes all of the necessary arrangements to pick it up and return it to you – at no additional cost.
The finder receives a gift pack for their honesty and customers can offer an additional cash reward if they so choose.
There are also other companies with similar service but more sophisticated tracking technologies. ComputraceComplete is laptop security and tracking software which deters computer theft, recovers stolen laptops, and also provides a theft recovery guarantee, software inventory, computer inventory, PC inventory software, PC audits, asset tracking, and data security tools and services.
Stealth Signal of Houston sells a program called Computer Tracker that helps a lost or stolen laptop “phone home”. The first time a laptop is connected to the Internet by a thief or finder, it contacts the company, which can track its physical whereabouts and assist police in finding it.
To cut down on time spent searching the house for items that habitualy vanish like the remote control, Sharper Image sells the Ultra 8 Wireless RF Electronic Locator for $69.95.
Tags: lost item recovery, computers, electronic devices, PDAs, blackberries, cell phones, gameboys, laptops
This is really something I should keep in mind. I have all my data backed up in two places, but I still would hate to lose my very expensive Ipaq 6950 or my Samsung A920
. I am perhaps one of the most overly careful people when it comes to my “stuff” I always check to see I have it about my person… I’m always using my Ipaq anyway… and now I can blog by email from my Ipaq – who knows 
This is such an good resource TT. I know I say that every post, but it just is 
I’m glad you found this to be a worthwhile post. It seems everyone I know has lost a phone or ipod from my nieces and brothers to my girlfriends. When it comes to high quality electronics needed for work my girlfriend and her two teens lost an ipod, 2 cell phones and a digital camera in two separate incidents this summer. She was lucky. We live in a small community and got everything except one cell phone back. That made me wonder about recovery companies … were there any? Hence the article.
thank you for your help on the widgets.
REPLY: You’re very welcome!
Looks like it is similar to stuffbak.com too.
REPLY: Thanks for adding to the resources Derrick.
There’s also Boomerangit.com. They work with police and with Palm, Toshiba, Pioneer and the biggest bike manufacturers. They originated from the National Bike Registry (www.nationalbikeregistry.com)
@Wally
Thanks so much for the additional information. WOW! I had no idea so many services like this existed.
As the owner of TrackItBck, I can assure you that Stuffbak is a great competitor.
The main difference between TrackItBack and other recovery service companies is;
1) We do not charge anything for recovering your lost devices
2) We do not charge anything for returning your lost devices to you – know many where you are
3) Our ID labels provide lifetime coverage
Any questions?
Best Regards,
Jason Wagner
TrackItBack
http://www.trackitback.com
Thanks for the visit and the additional information Jason. Best wishes for a successful business year and a happy personal one.