Ask the NIH Help Desk

What do I do if my laptop, BlackBerry, other electronic device or media is lost or stolen?

Contact the NIH Help Desk for assistance by calling 301-496-4357 or 866-319-4357.

The NIH Help Desk will need to know the following information:

1. your contact information: name, phone number where you can be reached and email address if applicable
2. whether the device or media has any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on it
3. whether the device or media is protected by encryption (for example, PointSec)

Help Desk staff will report the incident to security personnel who will provide further instructions.

A special note regarding Blackberry devices

The NIH Help Desk has the ability to lock and clear data from the device remotely as long as the device has wireless coverage. Because of this, we recommend that users whose Blackberry is lost or stolen notify the NIH Help Desk prior to cancelling the wireless service provider service so that the Help Desk staff can first attempt remote data lock and clearance function.

If you need any assistance, or have additional questions, just submit a service request via our website or give us a call at the NIH Help Desk at 301-496-4357, 866-319-4357 (toll free), or 301-496-8294 (TTY).