How much is the data on your smartphone worth to you?

A survey commissioned by Lookout last year set out to find the answer to this question. According to the results of the US based study, 50 per cent of phone theft victims would be "somewhat likely to extremely likely" to pay up to $500 to retrieve their lost data. Over 70 per cent said they would even resort to vigilantism to get it back.

Back in Australia, the problem of smartphone theft continues to rise – which can be a very emotional experience for victims of this highly profitable crime. Each year in Australia more than 200,000 mobile phones are reported lost or stolen. This equates to 4000 each week according to  the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA ) And with stolen smartphone selling very well on the black market, there’s often little stopping thieves from nabbing more devices. Especially smartphones containing private data are scoring a premium on black markets overseas.

As they say, bad things happen, but people can prepare for certain scenarios. We all know things get stolen so many people will buy insurance just in case they’re unlucky. Shouldn’t we also be taking proactive measures to protect our data too?

People should make time to always back up data before data loss strikes. Perform a data backup at least once a week (if not daily!) on multiple storage devices and platforms such as computers, flash drives and Dropbox.

If you also use your mobile phone for work, make sure your company has BYOD and BYOA policies in place that include a back-up plan for data.

Indeed, always check with your company about such initiatives and their back-up data policies before using your phone for work purposes. Otherwise, you may risk not only losing your sentimental data, but also vital corporate information that can have a big impact on the company’s financial and overall security.

Don’t be caught out. Always back up data. Keep it safe!