What to do if someone you know stole your phone?
Steps to take when your phone is stolen
- Check that it isn’t just lost. Someone swiped your phone.
- File a police report.
- Lock (and maybe erase) your phone remotely.
- Call your cellular provider.
- Change your passwords.
- Call your bank.
- Contact your insurance company.
- Note your device’s serial number.
Can someone use your phone if they steal it?
If someone steals your smartphone, they may be able to access sensitive information within your apps, change your account preferences and even gain access to your financial assets. But what if scammers didn’t need to steal your phone to do all that?
What happens when your phone is stolen?
The best thing to do is to remotely wipe your phone as soon as you find out it’s stolen – this can be achieved with apps such as Find My Device (free – Android and iOS). They take over your accounts. In some circumstances, thieves have even been known to take over your online accounts – such as your Apple ID account or your iCloud.
What should you do when someone loses your phone?
There’s a good chance the person who lost the phone will want to either track or call it when they realize it’s missing, so one of the biggest things you can do to help them is keep it charged and connected to the internet.
What happens to your phone when you go to the police?
You’re taken to the police station, you’re booked, and your phone is confiscated. When you’re let out, after a few hours or even a few days, your phone is handed back to you in a plastic baggie; the SIM card and SD card taped to the back. Someone has definitely gone through your digital belongings.
What happens to your phone when you get arrested at an event?
So, you’ve been arrested covering an event. You’re taken to the police station, you’re booked, and your phone is confiscated. When you’re let out, after a few hours or even a few days, your phone is handed back to you in a plastic baggie; the SIM card and SD card taped to the back.