The few times I've briefly misplaced my phone have led to heart-pounding moments of panic. Rightfully so, as this tiny device is what I use to access my email, bank accounts, calendars, to-do lists, medical appointments, social media, reminders, my online shopping accounts, and of course, my phone calls.
Fortunately, I've been lucky enough to recover my device within seconds but that is not a feeling I'd like to experience for more than a few moments. It certainly taught me that I'd better be well prepared for what could happen if my phone were to actually go missing. So, whether you're chronically forgetful, a frequently traveler, someone who has too much on their plate, frequents risky areas or just the kind of person who often misplaces things, here are a few steps to take if your phone has gone missing (be it lost, stolen or undetermined).
1. Try using your phone's built-in tracking
You can obviously start by calling your phone to see if you can hear it ring nearby or to see if someone will answer it and can return it to you. If that doesn’t work, your next step is to try the built-in tracking features on your handset.
Apple has its Find My feature, while Android users have Find My Device which works similarly. Each lets you see your phones location on a map, play a sound to try to track it down and even view its last known location if the battery has died. Each of these services can be accessed from a computer or separate device if you log into your account. Not only can they help track down your phone, but they will also assist with the other options on this list.
2. Remotely lock your phone
If you can’t track down your phone using the Find My feature, or know for sure it’s been stolen and is in a thief's hands, then go ahead and use this method to remotely lock it. This will prevent anyone from accessing your personal information and data. That means whoever took your device won’t be able to look through your messages, emails, apps, or payment methods.
Your tracking service should offer a remote locking capaability as well, and it may offer a custom message that can be displayed on the lock screen that also shows your contact information which could help an honest individual return your device to you. iOS users can do this by going to their iCloud accounts and selecting their lost device as “mark as lost,” while android users can go to android.com/find, choose their missing device and select “secure device” to lock it and then display their custom message.
3. Contact your mobile carrier
You’ll want to reach out to your mobile carrier in order to suspend service to the lost or stolen device, which will prevent any unauthorized calls, texts or data usage – and any unexpected charges to your bill. It will also keep your account from being hijacked, and can prevent your account from being used to access two-factor authentication codes thereby preventing any thieves from taking over other accounts.
Many mobile phone carriers also have the option to blacklist a stolen device, which will make it harder for a thief to use even if they can get past your lock screen. So make sure to ask about any temporary suspension options (if you think you can get your device back) or a permanent cancellation if you’re certain the device is past recovery. Carriers also offer insurance programs to help cover the cost of a replacement phone, so while you’re on the line with them it never hurts to ask about that as well.
4. File a police report
Are police likely to go out looking for a stolen phone? Well, no. However, filing a police report does provide you with an official record that could be useful for insurance claims, disputing fraudulent charges and more. Bring all the information you have to the local police department in order to file the claim, including all the details about how and when the phone went missing or stolen.
Information that could be particularly helpful is the phone’s IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity) or serial number, which is in the phone settings, on the original packaging, or in the carrier’s account portal.
5. Secure your connected accounts
There are a variety of accounts you’ll want to give attention to right away – specifically anything on your phone that is open, that has a saved password, or has saved payment information. All of those accounts and apps are at risk and will need to have their passwords changed as soon as possible. If you don’t already use one of the best password managers, now is a good time to implement one.
Any apps that were signed into on your phone, need to get signed out of – think email, social media accounts, health accounts like a Fitbit, cloud storage, calendars, streaming accounts, shopping sites, medical or health apps. Basically anything that you may have had open or frequently use. Many services, like Google and Apple, will have settings that will show you active sessions and allow you to log out of all devices remotely. This is also an opportunity to enable 2FA (two-factor authentication) or multi-factor authentication on any account that you don’t already use it on. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on your accounts from here on out for any suspicious activity, unauthorized transactions or unfamiliar logins.
6. Remove stored payment methods
Similarly, any mobile payment apps – from Apple Pay, Google Pay or anything else that stores credit card information – is at risk once your phone goes missing. If it’s been stolen, a thief could use your stored payment methods for unauthorized purchases, so shutting them down should be one of the first steps you take.
Apple users who have changed their device status to lost in Find My iPhone will automatically have an Apple Pay account suspended as well. If you want to do it manually, you can sign into an Apple account, select the device and remove all cards associated with that payment account.
Google Pay users should also log into their accounts at payments.google.com to navigate to payment methods then remove the cards linked to their missing device. Next, make sure you contact your financial institutions for the cards associated with the bank or credit cards to alert them to the issue so they can be on alert for any possible signs of fraud.
7. Remotely erase your phone's data
For devices that are definitely gone without any hope of recovery, the final option is a remote wipe – which will erase all stored data, settings, media and personal information from the missing device which means no one else can access your financial information, passwords, contacts, media like photos or any other personal sensitive information. In iOS there’s an “Erase iPhone” option within the Find My feature, which resets the device to factory settings removing all personal data. In Android, likewise, there’s an “Erase Device” option in the Find My Device feature that will accomplish the same reset.
It’s important to know that you’ll no longer be able to track your phone after it’s been reset, so this has to be your last and final step. But if you want to ensure that the data on that device won’t be able to be used for identity theft, phishing or other malicious activities, that’s the best way to do it.
Better to be prepared
Hopefully you'll never need to use any of these tips, but it helps to know in advance what to do to stay safe and secure in the worst of circumstances. An ounce of preparation, and a lot of familiarity with the Find My feature, can save you a lot of hassle if your handset goes missing. There's no need to make a bad situation worse by allowing a thief to also take advantage of you by stealing your data as well and who knows, maybe Find My could even help you locate a missing device.
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More from Tom's Guide
- Worried a phone is stolen? Here’s how to find out
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