Stolen files and stuff...Lessons learned

[dark_sapphire21]

From the school of hard knocks...So the one freakin' time that I leave my backpack with my planner, client ledger, current client files and laptop in my car, my car gets broken into and the pack and all said items were stolen. This happened just a couple days ago. Major pain in the butt!! I was able to easily re-create my current client schedule because the DC I work next to will schedule clients for me, so we always keep our planners in sync. But my client files contained all the soap notes, claim numbers, bills, etc. I'm painstakingly rebuilding those too, by calling the insurance co's and asking them to send me copies of what I sent them. The biggest loss hasn't happened, but it could. All my client's personal info was in there, their phone #s, addresses, etc. I even had credit card receipts from some of them. If the thief isn't amateur (I think he/she was, breaking a windows is amateur), they could ruin my client's financial lives and trust in me. I could rant for much longer...Here's a few things I've learned:* Never EVER EVER EVER again leave anything so valuable in my car unattended.* Password protect my computer and vital client files* Get an external hard drive to back up my computer once a week and "one-button push" backup software* Keep credit card receipts in a locked file cabinet in my office, not toting them around everywhere* Don't haul the full client files around, just make copies of what I need for billing purposes* photocopy the client ledger once a month* Make sure you have the laptop's serial # written down somewhere. I called Compaq with it and they said they recover quite a few stolen laptops.I was sloppy in some areas of my bookkeeping and I pray that the personal info out there stays safe and hidden. I had been thinking for the last several days that I should password my computer. Reason I didn't was a matter of convenience.I was parked in a business district, in front of a bank, which was closed. I thought it was a safe area, that it would be fine for this one time to leave my pack there. I was going to meet some people for dinner in a restaurant and I didn't want to be lugging the pack around. The very nice policeman who came for the report said he had never before heard of any car break-ins in this area. The truck next to me had a dufflebag just sitting in the open bed, but it wasn't stolen. The least I could have done, would have been to store it in the trunk. I suspect that someone was staking out the place and had their eye on me and what I was doing as I left the car.

 

[Ang(:]

It amazes me how one car will be hit and not another. My boyfriend's truck was broken into 3 times within the last year and the stereo stolen out of it. Apparently, a thief will stake out a certain car and possibly hit it more than once if he thinks the vehicle was "clear" to break into the first time.  I would definitely say the trunk is a good safe place to hold your belongings, as I've never heard of anyone breaking and entering into a trunk. I hope the cops find whomever did this to your vehicle and get your backpack back. Be well,Jen

 

[scheccid2]

Stolen files and stuff...Lessons learned

Thanks Jen...I've had my car broken into before, even the whole darn thing stolen (got it back undamaged sans the bike rack and stereo) but nothing of real value has ever been stolen before like this. Client files with all their personal info in there and all the hours spent on creating marketing materials, money just can't replace those things.

 

[bunnie <3]

So sorry to hear about that.  It totally sucks!  But I'll take that from you as a lessoned learned of what not to carry around with me.  I usually don't leave things in my car because I have a soft top jeep which all a thief has to do is unzip the window to get in.  But I do carry around things with me that I shouldn't.  Uncashed checks etc.... Again, sorry this happened to you!

 

[cassandras_evil_sister3]

Very sorry to hear of this.  I'm sure it is an incredible pain.Just a suggestion, if you remember which client you had cc receipts  for you might wish to call them and inform them of the theft.  That at least gives them the option of cancelling their cards before anything gets charged to them.Thanks for the tips.

 

[Dom]

I work at a high-end fitness center and they have often had cars broken into in the parking lot.  Someone had been watching people get out of their car, pop their trunk, put their pocketbook in the trunk, and go in the gym (for generally one hour) empty handed.  Some of the cars they pryed open the door and poped the trunk to remove the items the owner had just stashed there.  Keep that in mind.  Your trunk can be opened from inside your car without a key if someone knows there is something of interest in there.