Information from a Lost or Stolen Cell Phone

As technology in our cell phones continues to advance, the amount of information we store in them increases. This development can create some issues if the phone goes missing or worse yet is stolen. Just ask one of the many celebrities who has had the misfortune of having their phone hacked or stolen.

Nowadays cell phones contain pictures, video, dates, addresses, business documents, credit card information and more… The information we often store on our cell phones can be comparable to our home computers. Making them very valuable to some thieves.

How to help protect yourself if your cell phone is misplaced or stolen:

First, always password protect your phone. Password protecting your cell phone is a great way to protect the valuable information stored on it. Should your phone get stolen, it makes it much more difficult for crooks to retrieve the data (but not impossible).

Next, never have your phone save online or app passwords.

Finally, if you purchase something on your phone try to use a payment gateway like Paypal which require a password to use, rather than your credit card. This may limit the likelihood of sensitive information being stored on your phone.

Should your phone be stolen, make a list of the information found on your phone, and immediately file a police report. Then notify your cell phone carrier to discontinue service. Nothing can replace the unsettling feeling that you get when a belonging as personal as a cell phone is stolen, but hopefully these steps may help to lessen the impact.