How does a valuable item like a celebrity’s custom designer gown turn up in a hotels lost and found? Could it be the same reason we leave behind our valuables? An accident?
On October 17th after this year’s annual Golden Globe Awards, hotel maid Sara Corea claims the singer left the dress to her as a gift. Apparently the dress had to be legally held from when it was found in January until October before becoming Sara’s property. It seems unlikely that Gaga would gift such a valuable item without at least providing proof that it was her intention, knowing it would raise suspicion if she did not do so.
Whatever her actual intentions were we may never know, but one thing rings true, it’s stressful when we leave behind something important. For this celebrity, leaving behind this dress was huge, considering it was custom made for her, and extremely valuable. But what about us non-famous people? We may not have the same panic about leaving a dress behind, but what about our other more valuable items? Our phones, tablets, and computers might be some of the most expensive things we own, not only costly, but private and personal! Most of us have our whole lives on these devices. Our photos and videos, important messages, stored passwords, credit card numbers and more. Leaving these to the mercy of a hotel’s lost and found can be detrimental!
The Beverly Hilton Hotel obviously had a policy in place to provide guests with a reasonable amount of time to claim a lost item, but what if like Lady Gaga you don’t claim the item? What happens to it? Some hotels auction the items. How would you feel about your cell phone being sold at auction? All of your personal information now in the hands of the winning bidder. And now the Hotel owner is potentially served with a lawsuit. Stressful for both parties!
This headache can all be avoided by taking precautionary measures. Accidents happen and things get left behind, so it’s important to be protected when they do. By having a lost and found policy that ensures data protection, travelers and hotel owners can have peace of mind. The best way to ensure this kind of protection is by donating unclaimed devices to an organization like the 911 Cell Phone Bank. We guarantee complete data erasure, protecting the previous owners sensitive material, and the hotel owners liability.
Are you the owner of a Hotel or other large business? Let us help you avoid a data breach and protect your travelers privacy. To learn more about how we securely erase and dispose of unclaimed electronics, call us at 866-290-7864 or send an email to: requests@911cellphonebank.org.