Cabbies issue reminder about leaving personal items behind

by Steve Ragan - Nov 16 2009, 15:45

If there is one city in the world where Cabbies are the most loathed and respected at the same time, it is New York. As the thanksgiving holiday approaches, scores of people will jump into the back of a cab and call out a destination, only to leave mobile devices such as phones and laptops behind at the end of the trip.

According to the recent taxi survey by Credant Technologies, which is carried out every other year in New York among Yellow licensed taxicabs, around 5,000 mobile phones are left in the back of a cab per month, along with other mobile devices including iPods, USB drives, laptops, and more.

The truth is, more often than not, sensitive information winds up exposed not because of theft, but because of human error. The warning from Credant to the business community, as well as individuals, is to be vigilant when travelling with their mobile devices. The message has never been more relevant, especially as more people than ever before are using the latest range of `must have’ mobile Smartphones to store sensitive personal and business information.

“It’s clear that none of us are infallible, especially at this busy time of year, when it’s all too easy to forget things when you’re travelling,” said Sean Glynn, vice president with Credant Technologies.

“Back in the good old days when a Window was something you looked out of, and a Mac was something you wore in the rain, it used to be small items like brollies and briefcases stuffed full of boring office papers. Now it’s laptops, Smartphone’s and thumb drives, all chock-full of valuable information to an identity thief. This time of year would appear to be the worst time of year for leaving things at the back of cabs – so our advice is to be more cautious than ever and, as the voice on the train always tells us: check you have all your belongings with you before you leave.”

Taking their cue from the cabbies, Credant composed a list of items to help mitigate risk due to loss during the holiday season. Some of the items from the list include the usage of backups. You should always make backups of your data, and do so on a regular basis, Credant said.

The second and third items are strong password usage and encryption. If you did lose a mobile device or USB drive with sensitive information, strong encryption and a solid password will help keep grubby little hands off of it. When it comes to applying these protections, preventative measures, such as removing old SMS messages and clearing out the sent items folder in your email client, earns a mention on Credant’s list, as well as using all available security features that come with the device. 

As for the cabbies, it isn’t just lost phones or laptops that they discover this time of year. Some of the survey respondents said they have discovered shotguns, diamonds, pets, toilet seats, false teeth, a baby, and artificial limbs, thanks to forgetful people hopping in and out of the cab.

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