• Location: United States.
• Date Stolen: 2 April 2013.
• Date Recovered: 3 April 2013.
• Theft: Backpack at school.
• Missing items: Netbook.
• Police reaction: Never reported.
• Final thoughts: I was relieved. My netbook was stolen from my backpack. The person took it home, and I got a picture, and knew who it was. I went to the person the next day, told them I know the address, and I will report it to the police. He gave it back.

Full story below:

• Location: United States.
• Date Stolen: 20 February 2013.
• Date Recovered: 11 March 2013.
• Theft: House burglary.
• Missing items: MacBook Pro.
• Police reaction: This is awesome.
• Final thoughts: Amazing program.

Full story below:

According to our database, about 20% of Prey’s recovered devices were found in the hands of people who had bought them online. The most frequent sites used for these activities turned out to be EBay and Craigslist. It is important to emphasize that none of these sites condone the trading of stolen devices, and because of this reason, they have implemented their own rules and regulations to put an end to the commercialization of misappropriated electronics. Nevertheless, thieves still manage to bypass them, leaving users at their mercy.

We don’t want you to become one of the victims and we are sure you don’t want that either. So, we have gathered an assortment of advice for you to take into account when buying used devices from online classifieds.

1. Ask for the receipt

Whenever you buy an item in the formal market you get a receipt which is the written record that you have bought an item. It is advisable to keep it, especially regarding electronics as it can become proof of ownership.
Consequently, whenever you buy a used device, it is recommended to ask for the device’s receipt. If the seller is able to give you the receipt, then you can be sure that he or she is the legitimate owner of the device or that they acquire the electronic in a good manner. Thieves rarely, if ever, steal the device with the receipt.

2. Ask for a copy of their ID

Identification documents help verifying a person’s information, physical appearance and different facts which prove that the person is who he says he is. Moreover, every identifier is unique and helps distinguish one person from the other. As a result, If you need further proof on the validity of the seller, ask for a photocopy of an ID card. Possible conmen will never agree to that, since it will compromise them in case you go to the police.

3. Ask for the device’s serial number

Serial numbers are like IDs for electronic devices. They are unique for each laptop. Consequently, they can be used to find out whether a device has been reported as stolen. You can do that by contacting your local police of visiting the manufacturers’ website. Most major laptop companies such as Dell have their own database of stolen devices which you can check .

4. Schedule a meeting with the seller beforehand

Chances are, if it’s a serious seller, you will be able to meet with him or her beforehand to make sure that everything is in order with the laptop. This will give you the opportunity to check the device for physical damage, e.g. dead pixels, defunct hardware, that may or may not have been commented on the classified ad.

5. Check for password protection

Always try to check if the laptop you are going to buy is password protected and whether or not, the seller knows the password. If the seller does not know the password of the device, it is possible that it may have been stolen. On the other hand, if he or she knows the access passwords, you can be sure that they did not acquire it from theft.

6. Check the folders for data

While you have access to the device, check the folders for existing data, e.g. pictures, documents, etc. You can even ask for the story behind some pictures or documents. Most likely if it was robbed, the seller will not appear in any of them and will most likely have a dumb explanation as to why. Nevertheless, take into account that people who sell their laptops will make sure to erase all their data, so than nobody will have access their information.

It’s important to clarify that all this criteria will not necessarily be met. For example, the owner might have forgotten to keep the receipt. But if used wisely, it can give you the tools to identify any suspicious behavior.

Finally, if, after much thought and reassurance from following the previous advice, you buy the laptop, it is always a good idea to save some specific documents in case something unforeseeable happens:

• Make copies of any credit card transactions or money orders from the transaction.
  
• Take a snapshot of the Craisglist’s ad so that in case it does turn out to be stolen property, you can back your story with the police.
  
• Keep the copy of the seller’s ID if given to you.
  

It can never be stressed enough that if you doubt ever so slightly, if you have any suspicion that the laptop may have been stolen, do not buy it. As the old saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Photo:Ahtisham78(cc)

According to Jiwire, there are around 823,314 free and paid Wifi hotspots in the world. There are 135,758 in the United States alone, meaning there’s a pretty good chance you have used at least one of these hotspots at a hotel, the subway station, the nearest Starbucks or even the bus, yet, not many people are aware of the vulnerabilities they expose themselves to while using these hotspots, which include stolen social network, banking and e-mail information to name but a few.

But, don’t panic.

The Prey Team is here to help you with your device’s safety and so we present you 7 tips to take into account when using Wi-Fi hotspots.

1. Connect to a trusted network

It is very frequent for malicious people to set up fake open wi-fi networks so as to attract innocents who would connect and navigate through their facebook and/or bank account, unknowingly giving away their account information.
These scammers tend to create very general SSIDs such as Free Public Wi-Fi. So, before connecting to any network try to confirm with the establishment the name of it. That is to say, ask the employees for the correct SSID before connecting.
Also, distrust any network that is 100% open. The chances of if being a fake network are very high. Most serious networks have WPA2, WPA or WEP types of encryption that don’t allow everyone to connect.

2. Prioritize WPA2 encryption

Networks have different types of security protocols and certifications which allow your network to send encoded data from your device to the router. Choosing the weakest makes your device unsecured, thus, try to connect to a WPA2 encrypted network which is the safest. If that’s not possible, then another good option is WPA, and finally connect to a WEP encrypted network (the least secured). It’s also a good idea to set up your home router with WPA2 encryption.

3. Set up a SSH Tunnelling connection

SSH Tunneling is useful when you are using a Wi-Fi network you don’t trust and need to interface with a website sending information, e.g. a bank.
For that to be done, you have to create a tunneled connection to another computer which is placed in a trusted network; i.e. if you are in a Starbucks cafe with your laptop, you can create a tunnel to your home server and use it to connect to the bank’s servers. The cool thing is that everything you send through the tunnel is encrypted, which means it cannot be decoded easily by possible eavesdroppers. If you are interested in learning to set up your own tunnel using the SSH protocol, visit this link.

4. Use SSL and HTTPS encryption

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a type of encryption which can be used whenever you navigate on the web. It encrypts your browsing information by adding an extra layer of protection. In order to use it, you only need to add an s after the http in the URL block, like this:
Sadly, not every website allows SSL type encryption. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the banking websites, social networks and e-mail clients do support SSL.

5. Use your firewall

There are a lots of risks in using a Wi-Fi hotspot. You never know who else is connected to the same network and if someone is trying to monitor, or even worse, break into your computer’s services. A good way to keep your computer secure is by always having your firewall, antivirus and anti-spam software updated.

6. Never access your bank or credit card information out of a trusted network

Wi-Fi hotspots are never 100% secure, thus, never access your bank account or use your credit cards while using public Wi-Fi. It is also a good idea to avoid using the same user/password combination in any other website.

7. Password protect your files

If someone is able to reach your computer, it is a good idea to password protect your files, so that they can’t snatch your information. Some operating systems come with a feature that allows this, but there are also programs like TruCrypt for laptops, Gallery Lock Pro and File Cover for Android and Lockdown Pro and Locktopus for iOS among others.

Of course, you cannot have absolute security, but now you have the power to avoid the most common threats. Enjoy and Happy hunting!

Photo: Ed Yourdon (cc)

• Location: Texas, USA.
• Date Stolen: 22 March 2013.
• Date Recovered: 22 March 2013.
• Theft: Lost.
• Missing items: Nexus 7.
• Public Transport customer service: Not contacted.
• Time it took for first report to arrive: 3 minutes.
• Once received, time it took for police to recover it: N/A.
• Final thoughts: Peace of mind.

Full story below:

As most iOS users know, it is extremely easy to uninstall apps in your iDevice. Just press an app icon long enough until it starts to shake uncontrollably and a little x will appear on the corner. Press it and the app is gone as quick as a bunny. But, have you ever asked yourself if there was a way to make uninstalling your favorite anti-theft software, a.k.a. Prey, less easy in iOS? Well, we have and we found a way. It is very easy and I will show how.

To begin with, let’s talk about the magic of the Restrictions or Parental Control setting. It is located inside the General tab and, according to Apple, it basically lets you prevent access to specific features of your device, which means that it gives you the power to manage a myriad of cool things such as what default applications you want to allow to exist, what type of content you consent to, privacy settings, how frequently you want your device to ask for your iTunes store password and who can uninstall apps.

This is the setting that we are interested in. It is called Deleting Apps. This setting lets you control who is allowed to uninstall apps from the main menu. If it is enabled or on, it means that anybody can delete an application by clicking the black x button; if it is disabled or off, it means that whenever someone presses the app’s icon for a few seconds, the icon will shake but it won’t have the option of clicking x to delete it. Cool, right? Awesome, here’s how you activate this really cool feature:

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1. In order to use the Restrictions setting, you need to enable it. The process is very simple: change Restrictions to On, then, enter the four-digit password which will authorize you to access this feature and also disable it whenever you feel like.

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2. Inside Restrictions go to the allow section and find Deleting Apps. Once there, slide the selector and turn it off.

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3.Eureka! You did it and, now, your app icons
should look something like this.
See? Happily dancing icons and no x button, which means no way for anybody but you to eliminate Prey or any other app for that matter.

So, now you know how to make it more difficult for possible thieves to take down Prey, which means that you will have a better chance of receiving a lot more reports, which, in turn, translates into a greater chance of rescueing your stolen stuff. Enjoy!

Photo: Sean Macentee (cc)

Edit: Thanks to Elldee for pointing out that number 2 should say slide the selector and turn it off instead of turn it on.

• Location: London, UK.
• Date Stolen: 14 February 2013.
• Date Recovered: 20 March 2013.
• Theft: Car window smashed.
• Missing items: MacBook Pro.
• Public Transport customer service: I did let them know I had installed Prey and they said if you do get any information let them know.
• Time it took for first report to arrive: One week.
• Once received, time it took for police to recover it: Took them a bit of time.
• Final thoughts: Cannot thank the developers of the software enough.

Full story below:

There are also the usual bug fixes, performance improvements, and all that nerdy stuff we all like. So, keep reading to learn all the juicy details about this still-hot new Prey for iPhones and iPads.

Version details

• Prey for iOS version 0.6.1
• Build 20130320

What’s new

• Full support for iPads’ resolution. No more zoomed Prey to fit your screen.
• Full support for iPhone 5′s 4 inches screen. Prey no longer looks funny on your larger iPhone.
• Full support for landscape and portrait views. Prey fits your device, not the other way round.
• In-app Control Panel access and browsing. You won’t need to open a web browser to manage all your devices.
• Easy AppStore access to rate Prey. Give us some love if you like Prey!

Improvements and bug fixes

• Fixed: pink pictures bug on iPhone 5.
• General performance and stability improvements for Prey for iOS.
• Updated: iOS SDK 6.0′s deprecated functions.

Please don’t worry if you don’t see the update yet. Apple takes a while to approve new apps, but it definitely should be available soon. Meanwhile you can drop us your questions, ideas, or complaints about gnome abuse on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or on Prey Answers. Happy hunting!

Cellphone theft has been rising quite considerably. So much so that the chances of getting your device snatched is becoming a scarily common occurrence. In London, 314 phones are stolen everyday, which is 70% of all the personals taken. In San Francisco,  40% of all the robberies in 2012 were of cellphones. This is no wonder when we take into account that carrying a smartphone, the majority of phones stolen, is akin to carrying $300+ in one tiny piece of equipment and that there is plenty of black market for such products in the world.

So, here are some pointers to protect yourself and your phone from criminals (gathered personally by the security gnomes from Prey Labs):

Learn Karate

Nah, just kidding. There’s no need to learn martial arts when you can simply refrain from using your phone out on the streets. A lot of cellphone robberies happen when the user is so engrossed attending a call,  checking for messages or reading the latest tweet, that they don’t notice when a thief is about to commit a crime or when the light pole is only a few milimeters away. Ouch.

Take cover inside

While outside, try to get in the store (building or shopping center) closest to you,  to use your phone safely. If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere (with no cover near), look around to see if there is anything or anybody suspicious before taking your device out. For example, if you see a group of people staring at you intensely, slowly getting closer and closer to you… run Forrest, run!

Be aware of your surroundings

This is a must in order to avoid situations like what happened to this woman who got her phone snatched inside a bus. Always be aware of your surroundings. That way, you will be able to react to any suspicious activity going on around you which might put your stuff (and you) in danger.

Use a handsfree unit

Alright, alright! Nobody wants to be that one person talking loudly to an invisible friend. But, it might be a good device to have at hand if you want to avoid flashing the awesomeness of your phone in front of greedy people. Nowadays, you can find one by default when you buy a new phone, but  if you lost it, broke it, ate it or even threw it in the toilet, don’t despair, you can also find them in all prices, shapes and colors.

Don’t leave your phone unattended

Let’s say you are with a group of friends eating ice cream and chatting away. You are having a lot of fun and, inadvertently, you put your phone on the table next to your sundae. Suddenly, a hand appears, takes your phone and you see the owner of that hand running away at the speed of light. There it goes, you think. Your awesome smartphone. To avoid such tragedies, never leave your phone alone on a restaurant table, on the table bar, not even on the seat of your car where  it is only a broken window away from thieves.

Do not text and walk at the same time

Yes, people do this way too often. It is true that it is almost impossible to not react to your phone’s ‘ding’ no matter where you are. But taking it out to check and answer that message will put you in a very vulnerable position. Not only will it increase the chances of hitting yourself with a light pole but walking while texting makes you oblivious to the world around you and, sadly, the bad dudes are good at noticing these things.

7. Hide your phone away when you are not using it

Again, it follows the simple principle of avoiding showcasing your phone. When you keep it in places easy to access, you make it effortless for the possible criminals to steal  your phone.
These are some places where you should not keep your phone: backpocket of your pants, front pocket of your jacket, the outer pocket of your backpack, etc.

Do not to keep your personal information in your phone

According to PewInternet, today, phones are being used all the time for every and any activity, therefore, they tend to host our personal information. This includes e-mails, contacts’info, facebook accounts, twitter accounts, pictures and sometimes even banking information. Once your phone gets stolen, you can become a target for different types of scams and even blackmail. If you do have important personal information stored in your phone, always back it up. There are a lot of free and paid hosting cloud services (such as Dropbox, iCloud and Google Drive) that can sync your phone information automatically and very easily.

Password protect your device

If your phone manages to find itself at the hands of immoral people , having your phone password protected is the first thing that can stop them from accessing your basic information. Moreover, there are a myriad  applications you can install to password protect different files within your phone that may contain private information. Additionally, If you are serious about password protecting your stuff, I highly recommend you to go to this previous post which explains all about secure passwords.

Use an anti-theft software

Install an anti-theft software like Prey before you get it stolen, that is to say: as soon as you buy it. This can help you as a preemptive measure. Once your phone gets lost or stolen, you can report your device as lost and the software will run its magic by sending you reports of its whereabouts and take pictures of its surroundings once it connects to the internet. Pretty cool, uh?

As grandma used to say: opportunity creates a thief. Criminals are always going to pay attention to the opportunities given to them to snatch our phones, electronics or any of our belongings. Therefore, we have to do our best to not give them any opportunity to turn us into the victims.

Photo:Ed Yourdon(cc)

• Location: The Netherlands.
• Date Stolen: 22 October 2012.
• Date Recovered: 22 October 2012.
• Theft: Lost in the bus.
• Missing items: Samsung Galaxy Note
• Public Transport customer service: “Gotta watch your stuff”.
• Time it took for first report to arrive: Immediately.
• Once received, time it took for police to recover it: Non available.
• Final thoughts: At first, panicked. Then relieved.

Full story below: