It’s a nightmare scenario: you’re enjoying a hard-earned summer vacation when you realize you’ve lost your phone or laptop.
In addition to the cost of replacing it, you may have lost years of photos and other files – and left yourself open to some pretty dire consequences.
The one place you don’t want anyone snooping around is your inbox. Do not create folders with names like “Medical Files” or “Tax Information”.
Your Google account is one of the most important things on your device, especially if you’re a Gmail user. Here’s an easy way to make sure you don’t fall into the wrong hands.
How detailed is the data tracking?
Google’s tracking is primarily for its benefit, or for the companies that pay big bucks to advertise to you based on your data.
Speaking of tracking, have you ever searched for your name online and checked how many data proxy sites your details are circulating on?
You may not realize the level of granularity of this information. Advertisers don’t just know you’re a mom of three from Florida, or a marketing executive living in Austin. Your profile includes your financial situation, interests, political leanings, shopping preferences and more.
After all, data tracking is a big business. How big? Google’s parent company, Alphabet, makes about $420,000 a minute. Crazy, right? Not all the money comes from advertising, but it’s the most important part of the pie.
Fortunately, some of Google’s tracking can help you.
Check your account activity
I’ve talked to a lot of people who have been scammed, and in almost all cases, they didn’t realize something was wrong until it was too late. One friend reaches out and asks, “Hey, what’s up with that weird Facebook message?” Or you see an email in your outbox that you didn’t send. Or worse, you find a strange charge on your credit card or receive a notification about a loan in your name.
However, there are ways to spot bad actors before they do too much damage. This trick also applies to spotting snooping, you know. Is a friend or family member browsing your Google or Gmail account? Here’s one way to find out:
● Go to google.com/devices. If you are not already logged in, please log in to your account.
● Here, you will see a list of devices. These are the computers, smartphones and tablets you are currently logged in to or have logged in to within the last 28 days.
You will see the same device multiple times, as each session (or instance of you logging in) is recorded. This is nothing to worry about.
In addition to your current session, you may also see devices that have been inactive for a long time, such as old phones or computers that you no longer use. You can remotely log out of these devices.
● Simply click on the one you want, and then log out. This will completely remove access to your Google account from the device.
You can also use this page to find some connected devices, such as Android phones. This is convenient.
●Click on a device and select Find a device and you will be taken to Google’s Find My Device page.
What happens if you see a computer, phone, tablet, or device that you don’t recognize?
●Click on the device and choose Not Recognized? or log out. Again, this will remotely log you out of the device.
Next, you need to protect your account. It’s time to change your password to ensure that the person who logs in cannot do so again. Don’t reuse old passwords or choose passwords that are easy to guess. Now is the time to go all out.