Archive for the ‘theft’ tag
DC police chief says carriers profit from phone theft, ‘are not innocent’
Mobile phone theft is a massive and growing problem, accounting for more than 40 percent of all thefts in San Francisco in 2012. But is that a good thing for mobile carriers like AT&T and Verizon?
According to one police chief, yes.
District of Columbia police chief Cathy Lanier says that carriers benefit from phone theft, going so far as to insinuate that they are somehow complicit in the underground economy of stolen mobile devices:
“The carriers are not innocent in this whole game,” Lanier told the NY Times. “They are making profit off this.”
Our own reporter Christina Farr was recently robbed of her iPhone 5 at knife-point in downtown San Francisco. Police who took her statement were “nonchalant,” simply having far too much experience with similar crimes. San Francisco and New York Police have launched special initiatives and teams to curb mobile crime in response to the influx of thefts.
But what about carriers?
The contention seems to be that carriers should be doing more to identify stolen phones as they enter the underground resale market, often on auction sites like eBay, and are activated by new owners. Carriers have established a national stolen phone database that works by tracking stolen phones’ IMEI numbers, a International Mobile Station Equipment Identity that identifies a mobile device independently of the owner, and can be used to block network access to a device that has been reported stolen.
One problem, however, is that full integration is not scheduled to take place until November 2013. Australia, for example, had similar technology in place country-wide a full decade ago, in 2003. In addition, many Verizon and Sprint devices don’t yet have IMEI numbers.
Carriers say that the full database will help prevent crime, that they do care about cell phone theft, and that it is not just an excuse to sell another phone or register another subscriber.
Image credit: Dave Hosford/Flickr
Filed under: Business, Gadgets, Mobile, Security 
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Theft: 9 Ways to Protect Yourself From Losing Your Data
Do you rely on your computer for business? Is your computer and data secure? To learn more about ways to protect yourself and your business, this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast gives you insight into the subject. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is a show from Social Media Examiner. It’s designed [...]
Protect Anything from Theft with this $2, DIY Motion Alarm [Video]
There are a lot of ways to keep your stuff from getting stolen, but legendary DIYer Kip Kay shows us a $2 alarm that will fit on just about anything. More »
With Mobile Commerce, We Are All Retailers Now
The early days of eCommerce were a hard slog. The technology was cumbersome and unreliable, the gateways were expensive and the business community was sceptical. And the shoppers … well even the early adopters were hesitant – concerned about credit card numbers, identity theft and having to pay for goods in advance that may never arrive.
But over time most of those issues have been overcome. And even those that still concern us – like identity theft, security and so on – are traded for convenience. After all, we are generally happy to share our credit card information when a deal is ready to be done.
Mobile commerce – or mCommerce – however, has been able to ride the shirt tails of eCommerce. In many ways, the success of sites like Apple’s iTunes and Amazon have not only changed our sense of trust – they have changed our consumer behaviour. Just think, for example … when was the last time you bought a DVD or a music CD from a shop? For many of us, digital experience is at the core of our understanding and acceptance of so many brands.
And as we follow the bridge of convenience through our mobile devices, we will find ourselves using what businesses call mComerce (though we will just view it as convenience). And this makes me think again – that for the future of our brands, we need to think mobile first but with a social heart.
But our businesses challenges do not stop at the mobile gateway. In fact, they are just the start of a business trend that is going to transform our industries. A couple of years ago, well respected content marketing evangelist, Joe Pulizzi urged us to think about EVERY business as a “publishing business” – but now in the same way – we have no choice but to consider ourselves RETAILERS too. We are always on, always connected and always SELLING as the infographic from BigCommerce, below, shows. The question is … are you ready?
Your Competitors Might Be Stealing Your Leads
Lead theft is occurring every day on every single website. Even yours. How can you know if someone is stealing your leads? And more importantly, how can you stop lead theft?
First, look at the number of unique visitors landing on your website each month. (Those are people who want to buy from you. After all, they found your site, right? They searched or were referred to you, and they visited your site.) Then look at the number of leads your site generates for your business. If the number isn’t 2% of total visitors, your competitors are stealing your leads.
Here is an example. If you had 1,000 visitors to your site, you should expect to get 20 leads per month from your website. If you are only getting five leads a month from your website, someone is stealing 15 leads a month from you. Do the math on your own site. If you don’t know how many unique visitors you are getting, find out and find out fast.
Maybe right now you’re asking, “Who is taking them? How do they know who my leads are?”
Your competitors are taking them. They’re stealing them because your website is failing to capture the attention of your “ready to buy” prospects. After prospects leave your website, they are going to your competitors’ website, and your competitors are getting those leads.
How do I know this? I know this because buyer behavior has changed, and 88% of buyers start doing research for products and
services online. I know this because Google reports that 9 out of 10 people visit your website before calling you, clicking through, or reaching out in any way. I know this because Microsoft reported that people typically spend 10 seconds on a site before hitting the back button and looking at the next site. Is that enough hard data?
If you’re not worried, you should be. Now, how do we stop lead theft? It’s actually quite easy to stop people from stealing your leads. The first step is recognizing you have a problem—and starting to fix it.
The process all starts with a more effective website.
Here is a quick assessment you can do on your site right now.
- Make sure your website has the right messages on the home page. These messages must connect with the prospect quickly and emotionally.
- Make sure your home page is designed in a simple-to-read, easy-to-navigate format. If your visitors have to think too hard, they are going to leave very quickly.
- Your website must have educational information, including videos, all over it. Buyers want to be helped—not sold to. Give them educational content, and they will stay on your site.
- Your website has to make your visitors feel safe and comfortable that you–and only you—can help them. The more remarkable your products or services, the better your buyers will feel about your business.
- Your website must have testimonials, case studies, or success stories from other people. Your visitors don’t believe you; they want to see what other people like them have to say.
- Your website has to work right, the first time, on all browsers, smart phones, and tablets. Potential customers are unforgiving. If your site doesn’t work or looks strange, they click onto another site.
I know it sounds basic, but you would be surprised how many website fail these six simple tests. Take a long hard look at your site. I bet you are losing leads to your competitors right now.
Co-founder of Square 2 Marketing, Mike Lieberman is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and marketing professionals create marketing machines. Mike also is the author of the popular Remarkablog and a frequent speaker on Reality Marketing.
CODE 2600
Synopsis: CODE 2600 documents the rise of the Information Technology Age as told through the events and people who helped build and manipulate it. The film explores the impact this new connectivity has on our ability to remain human while maintaining our personal privacy and security. As we struggle to comprehend the wide-spanning socio-technical fallout causd by data collection and social networks, oru modern culture is caught in an undercurrent of cyber-attacks, identity theft and privacy invasion. Read more » about CODE 2600
Hundreds of Hasselhoffs Stolen From Outside Cumberland Farms
Don't hassle the cardboard cutout of the Hoff! Or actually, whatever, go ahead—Cumberland Farms doesn't mind. The convenience-store chain, which mostly operates in New England and Florida, recently put up 570 cutouts of David Hasselhoff, its new brand spokesman, outside its stores. A staggering 550 cutouts have now reportedly been stolen, leaving just 20 of them to leer at passersby. Kate Ngo, a brand strategist for the chain, tells the AP that Cumberland Farms isn't too upset about this. "We want everyone to enjoy the Hoff," she says. "We're flattered by the attention." She then backtracks, realizing it's a slippery slope. "We certainly don't encourage theft at our stores," she adds. The company says it plans to address the issue on its Facebook page, and has a request for anyone who has stolen a cutout. "We want to know at least the Hasselhoff is safe and he's being taken care of," Ngo says. Sound perhaps a little staged. Check out one of the brand's Hoff TV spots, from Boston ad agency Full Contact, below.
Prey’s New Mobile-Friendly Webapp Finds Your Lost or Stolen Laptop, Smartphone [Theft]
It’s so easy to lose your laptop or get your phone stolen these days. Luckily, Prey helps you get them back, and today they added a new mobile-friendly webapp to make recovering your gadgets easier than ever. More »
In Spain, site helps victims put an online call out when their bike is stolen
Back in 2010 we wrote about German MyBikeNumber, a site that lets bicycle owners register their bikes and also report when any thefts occur. Created with a similar purpose in mind, Spanish Bicibuscadores aims to help victims of bicycle theft spread the word when their bike is stolen and warn others in the same neighborhood.
Users of map-based Bicibuscadores, which is now in beta, begin by pinpointing where they last saw their bike. Next, they upload a photo of the bike and provide as many details as possible about the circumstances under which the theft occurred. That report can then serve as a warning to other bicycle owners in the area as well as potentially helping the missing bicycle find its way back into its rightful owner’s hands.
Created by design firm Ilustrada Hermandad de Diseñadores, Bicibuscadores is beginning with a focus on Málaga, but it aims to expand. Bike-minded entrepreneurs elsewhere in the world: one to get in on?
Website: www.bicibuscadores.com
Contact: info@ilustradahermandaddedisenadores.com
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Protect Your Stuff From Loss and Theft This Weekend [Video]
We don’t like to think about it, but theft happens. Whether you’re out of town on a summer vacation or you’re just really prone to dropping things, here are a number of things you can do to make sure none of your stuff gets lost or stolen. More »