Last Updated/Fact Checked on July 26, 2021 by Irslan
The question of the day is “How to Check if a Laptop Is Stolen?” For many robberies, laptop theft is equivalent to big business—an ideal location for a stolen laptop to flicker online classifieds and sites such as Craigslist, pawnshops. While few of us deny that computer theft is a seedy crime, many of us will not wonder whether we would give a lot on a good computer. But at what cost?
Whether you have made an illicit purchase unintentionally or ignored your best judgment, the implications of purchasing a stolen laptop are unfavorable.
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Suppose the laptop contains confidential data connected to an organization (personally identifiable information from customer information, privileged or private data). What responsibility do you have to warn or return this data or device? And if you can show by chance that you have made a second-hand purchase in good faith, in the end, you will have no laptop. The police will return the computer to its rightful owner, and you will be out of whatever cash you gave in.
Absolute retrieves thousands of stolen machines every year, and so we know the general rule for buying a used machine. There are also solutions in place that experts use to detect stolen laptops. It is and should be stopped if the situation seems suspicious.
What questions do you need for a USED LAPTOP?
Even if the deal is enticing, think first before you purchase and do your homework.
- See the reason for the offer. Why does the seller lose the laptop? For what did they use it in the past? Look for dumb answers or contradictory descriptions.
- Ask where the laptop was first bought and where the seller could have original records – manuals, receipts, etc.
- Submit a receipt for the purchase. An honest seller should not be humiliated by that.
- Take fair market price into account. Is the machine sold for an unreasonably small amount?
- Use the laptop’s serial number to inspect the stolen computer for online theft reports or local police.
- Request a laptop test drive. Link it to the network. If Utter stole and preserved it, a delete/lock could be automated, and a message will appear on the screen about the next steps to return the stolen laptop.
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Absolute provides endpoint devices – the desktop, laptops, tablets, and smartphones – with constant visibility and power. Our defense cannot be removed or disabled embedded in the plant in over 1 billion units. If you buy a computer for business, buy new devices secured by Absolute’s self-healing endpoint protection.
How to Check if a Laptop Is Stolen Before Buying
Verify that your used laptop is not stolen since many stolen computers are sold back to unsuspecting customers. Prey says that a quarter of the robbed devices it helps recover were discovered after being sold online. When you inquire about the owner’s paperwork and inspect a laptop, you can decide whether you make a valid purchase.
Documenting
Please request documentation from the buyer, including a receipt from the original purchase. Prey notices that fraud rarely steals the receipt and has no evidence that the laptop is still owned. Please also ask for a receipt to cover yourself. This receipt should contain the seller’s contact details. Many legal sellers would have no trouble receiving you.
Check for damage
Carefully inspect the laptop for damage, which the laptop could be deleted forcefully from any anti-theft system. Some laptops have a lock slot, which looks like a small rounded rectangle but is slightly bigger than a port link. If the anti-theft cable has been disconnected without a key, the port shows damage signals.
Passwords and data
Ask the seller to unlock the laptop. If the laptop needs a login password, make sure that the seller knows it – no theft. Even if no password is available, search for any data in the papers, pictures, and video folders. Before selling your machine, most sellers would remove this data to protect their privacy. Don’t be afraid to ask for any remaining details. If the seller has an unusual tale or does not appear in any of the images, he could be robbed.
Serial and branding numbers
The Serial No of the laptop computer should be visible and should not be tampered with. The serial number may also be demanded before purchasing by the seller and asking law enforcement officials or the original manufacturer whether the serial number appears in their databases to be stolen. Check for signs of branding, such as the company logo in wallpaper or screensaver, or stickers or laptop etching, that indicate the laptop’s original owner.
FAQS (How to Check if a Laptop Is Stolen)
Can a laptop be tracked by serial number?
How do I check if equipment is stolen?
Can a stolen laptop be blocked?
How do pawn shops check if something is stolen?
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