Mobile Phone Safety Tips -
How to avoid losing or having your phone stolen when on holiday
Mobile Phone Safety Tips - Nearly everyone has a mobile phone these days and they all come on holiday with you, every single day on the Benidorm Seriously Facebook group we get reports of lost and found phones.
Losing your phone whilst on holiday is even more stressful then losing it at home, but there are things you can do to protect your mobile phone and keep it safe. There are also steps you should take if your phone is lost or stolen whilst on holiday.
Mobile phones are used for lots of things these days, including banking, if your phone isn't protected by security, losing your phone could mean thieves gain access to your personal information.
Did you know that people between the ages of 25 to 34 on average have already lost 3 phones.....
Tips for keeping your phone safe
Make sure your mobile phone is covered on your travel or home insurance police, check the small print.
Obviously, the number 1 tip to not losing your phone on holiday is DO NOT take it out with you, do you really need it for a day on the beach or that night out?
Being on holiday means that you are more relaxed and tend to let your guard down, especially after a few drinks, but always know where your phone is.
NEVER leave your mobile unattended in a public place.
DO NOT leave it sitting on the table.
If a stranger comes to join you at your table, or someone asks for directions and your phone is sitting blatantly on the table, pick it up, hold it or put it away. Some con artists will use the asking for directions ruse to put a map on the table, covering your mobile phone (making you forget it was there in the first place) when they leave the pickup their map and YOUR mobile.
Use a mobile phone safety clip to keep it around your next or secured in your handbag, they are cheap and easy to find.
Mobile Phone Safety Tips
DO NOT leave it sticking out of an unzipped handbag
Gentlemen, DO NOT leave it sticking out of your back pockets, chances are you will not even feel someone lifting it.
DO NOT have your credit cards, driving licence etc tucked into the phone case, lose one, you lose them all causing even more headache.
DO NOT get involved with the pea/potato men here in Benidorm, most of the people involved are pick pockets.
DO NOT have your phone on SILENT - Only use silent mode when it’s needed, having your phone on silent can cause problems if it is misplaced.
Mobile phones these days are expensive, why not purchase a cheaper version just for your holiday, or if the camera on the phone is what you use most, leave the phone in the hotel safe and purchase a cheap camera to take out with you.
If going out in a group, have just one member of the group with a phone for emergencies, a holiday is to be enjoyed, not spent sending text messages to all and sundry back home, wait and do that when you are safely back in your hotel room.
Mobile Phone Safety Tips
Keeping the data on your phone safe
Use the security features provided. Most mobile phones have security features that are designed to stop people accessing a phone and using it if it is lost or stolen, but for these features to work you need to make sure they are switched on.
Turn on password or biometric protection
About a third of mobile phone users do not use a password to protect their phones. Passwords are the first line of defence in protecting your data if your device is lost or stolen. Better yet, enable both a password and biometric identification like a fingerprint swipe if that is available.
Backup your data
Do this before you leave for your trip and during your travels, make sure you backup your contacts and other data, like photos, so that if your phone is lost or stolen, your data can be easily restored.
Before going on holiday, clean your phone
Delete old apps that you are not using, quite often APPS can track your location and collect data about you, why risk that information falling into the wrong hands for an app you don't use?
Install the latest updates
Updates help ensure your phone has the latest security measures installed or updated. Without carrying out important updates, your existing security could make for easy pickings.
Add a lock screen message
If you do lose your phone, having handy information such as ‘if found’ available on your lock screen can help reunite you with your handset.
Beware of public Wi-Fi hotspots
When traveling abroad, using Wi-Fi instead of a cellular connection can save you money on data roaming fees. But Wi-Fi is less secure than cellular, especially if the network is not password protected. Hackers could intercept communications stealing passwords, credit card numbers and other personal information from you, make sure you do not share credit card or other personal information if using a public hotspot.
Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when you are not using them.
When these services are turned on the radios are constantly searching for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks to connect to. The constant pinging of radios can be used to locate you. Keeping them off will also help conserve the battery on your phone.
Turn on "find-my-phone" and remote wiping
If your phone is lost or stolen, you can use the find-your-phone feature to locate it. You should also wipe your device of any data so that someone who has your phone can't access all your information. But these services will not work if they are not turned on before you lose your device, so make sure they're enabled.
Keep an eye on your accounts
Check your bank accounts whilst you are away (on a secured network, of course) to see if there is anything unusual going on. The quicker you spot fraud, the better.
Be careful what you share
If you share to social media while you are away, double check your privacy settings to make sure you’re not over-sharing. It’s the difference between showing your friends what a lovely time you’re having, and broadcasting your location to the internet, and the fact that you are not at home.
Be careful how you list your personal numbers.
After a lady had her handbag stolen (Not here in Benidorm) which contained her phone, credit card, wallet, etc. . . . . . 20 minutes later when she called her husband, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, he was astonished and told her . . 'Oh gosh.. I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago.' When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen phone to text “hubby” in the contact list & got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you & the people in your contact list. Always avoid using names like Home, Missus, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mum, etc.
b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, do not respond BUT immediately CONFIRM by calling back.
c. Also, when you receive a text unexpectedly from friends or family asking you to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.
Mobile Phone Safety Tips
What to do if your phone is lost or stolen
If you lose your phone obviously your main concern is tracking it down. If you’re at a bar/restaurant, speak with the bar staff or manager and inform them that you have lost your phone. The chances may be slim, but a kind customer may have picked it up and handed it in - you never know!
Contact your network provider
As soon as you notice your phone is missing contact your network provider and inform them that it’s lost or stolen. Reporting your lost phone to your provider as soon as possible (recommended to be done in 24 hours of it going missing) will also reduce the risk of paying for unauthorised phone usage.
Your provider will be able to blacklist your phone and cancel your SIM, so no one else will be able to use it for unauthorised calls etc. If you find your phone your network provider will normally be able to reactivate it.
Your network will usually send you a replacement SIM card, but they may charge an administration fee.
Your network won’t normally replace your phone free of charge and you’ll have to carry on paying your monthly line rental until the end of your contract.
If you don’t get a free replacement phone, you’ll have to decide whether to: buy a new phone and continue with your current contract or wait until your current contract ends and get a new contract that includes a free phone
Contact the police
This is important as if someone else runs up a big bill on your phone you’ll usually have to pay for the cost of the calls up until the time you reported the phone missing.
You will need to do this if you want to claim on your insurance, make a note of the crime reference number.
The SATE office here in Benidorm can help you make a police report.
How to identify your mobile phone if it is stolen
Each handset manufactured for use in the UK has a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity number (IMEI) hardwired into it during the manufacturing process. Knowing the IMEI will help the police identify your handset should it be stolen. UK network operators will also prevent a stolen handset from working across their respective networks if you can
tell them the IMEI.
You can find your handset's IMEI by:
Typing *#06# into the keypad of your handset
OR looking inside the battery or SIM card compartment of your handset
OR looking on the side of the box, or on the associated paperwork, that you received when purchasing the handset
Change your passwords. For security change passwords of your face book, twitter accounts etc.
Every year 100s of phones are handed in to the Lost and Found department of Benidorm´s Local Police station, so it is always worth checking, as you phone could be there, but they have no way of contacting you if your phone is security locked.
Contact your insurance company
If your phone is insured or covered by your home insurance policy, you will usually be able to claim for a new one.
Contact your insurance provider to find out what cover you have and how they can get you a replacement. If your phone was stolen, you’ll need to give them the crime reference number.
If your phone is insured, you might be covered for the cost of unauthorised calls made between you losing your phone and reporting it missing. Check with your insurance provider.
Try using a FIND my phone system - How to track a lost or stolen mobile phone.
Many of our members post details about their lost or stolen phones on the Benidorm Seriously Facebook Group and happily many have been reunited with their phones.
What to do If you find a phone If found in a bar, please hand it into the bar staff, DO NOT remove the phone from the premises as this could be construed as theft. If found on the street/beach etc then it should be taken to the SATE office or the local police station, lost and found department.