How To Find a Lost Or Stolen Cell Phone
Last week I lost my cell phone in a taxi, and was unable to recover it. I now have a new phone, but I want to make sure I'm prepared this time. What options do I have BEFORE a phone is lost, that will help me get it back? |
Help, I Lost My Phone!
Losing a mobile phone can be a very big deal. Your phone probably contains all of your contacts, sensitive personal information, and perhaps work-related confidential data. Not to mention that smartphones can cost several hundred dollars. While there is no sure-fire way to recover a lost or stolen phone, here are a few tricks you can try.
Several carriers offer subscription services that will display the location of your phone(s) on a map. You have to sign up for these services before you lose a phone, because the activation process involves changing some settings or responding to a text message on the phone(s) you wish to enroll. Prices range from $5 to $10, allowing you to track two to five phones. Verizon calls it Mobile Recovery, AT&T offers FamilyMap, and Sprint has the Family Locator service.
You should know up front that if your phone is turned off, or the battery has died, your chances of recovery are slim to none. Your phone must also be able to receive both cellular and GPS signals, in order for these phone locator services to work. But as long as the phone is on and within reach of a signal, there is hope.
Lost Phone Recovery Apps
If you have an Apple iPhone, you can access the "Find My iPhone" app via a Web browser. Find My iPhone will display the current location of your iPhone on a Google Map, if the phone is turned on. If you can't find the iPhone, you can use Find My iPhone to disable it remotely the next time the phone connects to the cellular network. Find My iPhone was originally part of Apple's paid MobileMe service, but it's now part of the free iCloud service.
Another alternative is the $3.99/year iHound locator service. The iOS version works with iPhones, iPads, iPods, and iPod Touches. It tracks your device's location. You can push a command to a device that sounds a siren alarm. There's also an Android version that costs the same and does even more. You can send commands to disable the Android phone, and even wipe all of your data from the phone remotely.
Blackberry users can subscribe to the Berry Locator service for $6.95 per month. It will send a message to your missing Blackberry and show you its location on a Web-based map.
GadgetTrak Mobile Security is a $19.95/year service for Android, Blackberry, and iOS devices. It does tracking; sounds an alarm on a stolen phone; backs up phone data to a remote server; and wipes a phone upon receipt of a special SMS message.
Pintail is a free app for Android phones that can help to find a lost or stolen phone. Once the app is installed, you can borrow a friend's phone and send your phone a text message with a PIN code. Pintail will use GPS services to locate the lost phone, and then send a text reply containing the phone's physical location and a link to Google Maps. Pintail can be downloaded from the Android market.
Even if you don't have any locator apps or services pre-installed on your phone, you can still try some old-school tricks to recover a lost or stolen phone.
Call the phone right away, using another phone. If you're lucky, your phone will ring and you will hear it under the sofa cushion. Or some good Samaritan may answer and agree to return your phone, especially if you promise a nice reward. Texting a plea for the phone's return, along with a financial incentive, is another tactic you can try. If all attempts to find a lost or stolen phone are fruitless, ask your carrier to disable the device, so you won't be liable for any misuse.
Do you have other tips to find a lost phone? Post your comment or question below...
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Posted by Bob Rankin on 14 Dec 2011
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Most recent comments on "How To Find a Lost Or Stolen Cell Phone"
Posted by:
Bill
14 Dec 2011
My wife has the Apple iPhone 4S, and I have used "Find my iPhone" through iCloud several times to locate her phone when she'd lost it, either under her car seat or left at work.
You mention being able to remotely lock the iPhone if it should fall into the wrong hands. I'll just add that you can also remotely wipe the data from it as well. All very easy by visiting the iCloud website from ANY computer or mobile device. If the phone isn't turned on, then the data wipe will occur as soon as it's powered up next time.
Posted by:
Mike Todd
14 Dec 2011
Bob, Long time subscriber (from the days of the squirrels). I've been using Lookout Mobile Security on my Blackberry Bold since the program was available. I am still on a free version. It performs all the functions noted above.
One feature I have not used is the ability to turn the phone on so one can hear what is going on around it (no two party consent, of course) which has some serious ramnifications. I am presuming by 'on' the authors mean if it goes into sleep mode, not powered down.
There is also the ability to erase all the data on it from a remote computer.
Always enjoy your newsletters.
Regards,
Mike Todd
Posted by:
John
14 Dec 2011
I find the I-rottweiler app works well. Simply strap your I phone around the neck of a large rottweiler and it WILL NOT be stolen. I have not tested it yet, but this app should work equally well for android phones.
Happy holidays!
Posted by:
Mikey
14 Dec 2011
Instead of focusing on recovering a lost phone, one could simply tether your phone to a belt loop and you won't lose your phone.
I use a clip attached to a lanyard (that I got with a memory stick) with a quick disconnect at the phone. The clip is secured to my pants belt loop and when I need to use the phone, I pull the phone out of my pocket, detach the quick disconnect and make a call. When I'm done, I simply re-attach the lanyard quick disconnect and put the phone in my pocket.
Using this method, I can honestly say that I have not lost or msplaced my phone for years.
Posted by:
Mary A. Axford
14 Dec 2011
Has anyone used a paid service called Lookout? This is one of the services it offers, for Android, at least. My free trial is almost up and I'm trying to decide if the paid version is worth it.
Posted by:
HH
14 Dec 2011
"Lookout" at mylookout.com is a free app that will locate, and wipe your phone if you choose. Also has a loud ring/siren feature which works even if your phone volume is turned off. And it includes a virus scanner.
Posted by:
BeckyG
14 Dec 2011
When my mom was in a convalesant hospital I programed her phone so only numbers in her contact list could be called. This will not find a phone but can prevent some one from using it indiscriminatly.
Posted by:
ManoaHi
14 Dec 2011
With "Find My iPhone" you can also wipe your phone. I think there should be something that can brick your phone.
Posted by:
Nigel
14 Dec 2011
There was a report on this morning's news that in Burnaby BC 40% of all robery crimes reported to the police (RCMP) involve smart phones, so it is becoming a major problem.
Bob, your tips are most welcome, please keep up the good work.
Posted by:
Ken Mitchell
14 Dec 2011
The open-source Prey Project (www.preyproject.com) can find your phone or laptop if you install the software on the device and link it to your account.
Plan B for Android; avaiable from the Android Market. You can actually remotely install your Android phone (as long as it is turned on and connected to the internet!) even AFTER you have lost the phone.
Both are free. Although I've never actually NEEDED them, I've tested them and they seem to work.
Posted by:
Bill
14 Dec 2011
Latitude is a free Android app that works with Google Maps for sharing location with any selected friends or relatives who load it and accept location sharing. It is useful for families. It works even when your phone is turned off, but location sharing can be declined within the app at any time. If a phone is lost, any established Latitude friends can see it's location on their phones with a satellite overlay if desired.
Posted by:
Sheri
14 Dec 2011
All of Bob's computer and mobile tips are great if you live in the USA. But unfortunately, any that recommend certain products or service which are only available in the USA are of limited use to anyone living in the UK or other contries:-( Nevertheless, they still serve to alert users about the availability of certain products or services they might otherwise not have heard of. Excuse the poor grammar there!
Posted by:
elinor
14 Dec 2011
Where's My Droid app works with phone that is on or on vibrate.
Posted by:
Stephanie
14 Dec 2011
If a good Samaritan finds your phone, make it simple for them to contact you. Write an alternate phone number on a sticker & stick it on your phone. If you carry the phone in a case, put your business card in the case. Have your phone's wall paper be your alternate phone & the words "if you find this, please call me". Enter your alternate phone number in your phone's address book like this - My alternate number - (202) 555-1212. Then, be sure to send a reward to the nice person who returns your phone! Bob - thank you for all you do!!
Posted by:
SFSecurity
15 Dec 2011
The problem with most, if not all, of remote wipe apps, except Blackberrys', is that if the phone is off or has no SIM card installed all the data on the phone is at risk. Also, the remote wipe apps, as far as I can tell, depend on the SIM card rather than the IMEI. The IMEI, which is usually unique, identifies GSM, WCDMA, and iDEN mobile phones plus a few other kinds. Change the SIM, jailbreak it and use it on another network and the apps fail.
The reason Blackberrys are more immune is that they have a TPM chip that can be programmed to wipe it whether or not it is on a network.
If people took security more seriously then they would demand better designs, but, alas, they don't.
Warmest Regards,
Allen Schaaf - CISSP, CEH, CHFI, CEI, CSCA
Project Manager for Information Security - Business Process - Business Continuity - Supply Chain Optimization - Training & Instructional Designer - Sr. Writer & Documentation Developer - Certified Network Security Analyst & Intrusion Forensics Investigator - Certified EC-Council Instructor
http://www.linkedin.com/in/allenschaaf
Security is lot like democracy - everyone's for it but
few understand that you have to work at it constantly.
Posted by:
rowal5555
15 Dec 2011
One which I use on my laptops and is available for phones also, is the free PREY - http://preyproject.com/
Posted by:
H. Trayte
16 Dec 2011
y granddaughter's iPhone was stolen. It had GPS tracker App installed. My son-in-law was able to track the phone down to the street address where the phone was located. Calls to police did nothing. They could not confront the thief without further evidence. Hence the phone was never recovered. What good are these Apps without some legal means of recovery? Does anybody else have similar stories?