Top Tech Tips to Secure Your Phone From Theft

 

Losing your phone can leave you feeling devastated for the obvious reasons. Your mobile phone is more than a communication gadget. Your phone contains important data that must be safeguarded against access by a third party. Think about the apps you’re signed into, your email addresses, and phone book just to name a few. All these are sensitive data that should not land in the hands of another person. 

Unfortunately, mobile phone thieves are at large, always prying and waiting for an opportunity to strike and sell them to the black market or sell the valuable parts for use on refurbished phones. This means that any careless move could cost you your gadget. 

You must take appropriate measures when handling your phone to secure it. This will also save you the trouble of reporting a phone stolen. If a malicious person gets access to your data, they could use it to exploit you and still end up selling off the phone. So then, have you secured your phone from theft? Here are a few tips to secure your smartphone from theft:

Activate Screen Lock to Protect your Data 

Activating your screen lock is your first line of defense as your phone will automatically lock itself thus preventing access to any apps or data. You can create a strong password containing mixed characters using your lock screen widget. 

Alternatively, take your security higher by locking with your fingerprint, face, gesture, and code whereby the data on your phone is automatically wiped out after 10 failed attempts of unlocking it. This takes a few minutes to set up yet secures your phone from theft completely so do it now if you do not already have. 

Use your Phone Locator Feature

Manufacturers of both iPhone and Android phones include a security layer to enable you to trace your phone in case of theft. However, this will only work when you activate it on your phone. Make sure your iPhone’s Find my iPhone or Android’s Android Find my Device is on. To make a call to your lost phone from a computer or other device use callmyphone.org app. It is compatible with PCs, Macs, and smartphones, and can be used to make calls anywhere in the world.

Backup Your Phone Data

This is crucial. Your data can be worth do much and phone manufacturers and carriers know this. Always make sure you have your back up option on so that you’re able to retrieve your data in case you lose your phone. Take advantage of options like iPhone’s Apple Cloud, Microsoft’s OneDrive or Android’s Google+. However, you must consider going through the process of reporting a phone stolen within the shortest time possible. 

Write Down Your Serial Number

Ever wondered why mobile phone manufacturers give you three stickers for your mobile phone and your retailer insists that you keep the serial number safely? Well, this is another security layer. You can use your serial number to track and recover your stolen phone. Some manufacturers provide you with a platform to report the loss, lock the device and even track it when you have this number. 

If a thief gets hold of your phone and sends it for repair, you can be able to get it back.  This number is also important when you’re reporting about the loss to the authorities. Again, this requires some action on your part; write down your phone’s serial number. 

Activate Location Tracking

Turn on location tracking on other devices like your tablet, laptop, or smartwatch using a smart application so you can tell the location of your phone in real-time. This can lock the phone automatically and wipe or remove all data effectively preventing loss. 

Ramp Up Your Phone Security with These Tips

It’s much safer to take more precautionary measures than to report a stolen phone. Here are some tips to help you ramp up your phone security:

• You can create a secondary password to enable you to hide and lock sensitive applications.
• Always make sure you’re using secure connections when connecting to wireless networks. Make sure the Bluetooth on your device is turned off.
• Keep your phone safe preferably in your pocket. Don’t leave your phone unattended. This will expose it to thieves.
• Consider using a basic case to conceal your expensive phone.
• Pay attention whenever someone randomly approaches you on the street asking for directions or petitions.

What To Do When Your Phone is Stolen

When you have done all to secure your phone but still end up losing it, the next move is to report. You can use various tools that are available at your disposal but don’t forget to report a phone stolen to the police. This requires you to write a letter to the police so that the police can help you track and trace your phone. Trying to retrace your steps or even recover your phone by yourself can be a waste of time. It also minimizes the chances of getting your phone back.