Mobile phone advice

Mobile phone advice

Good morning, Resident

Find out how to protect yourself from mobile phone theft, and how to set your phone up to help you if it gets stolen.

Protect yourself from mobile phone theft

Don’t leave your phone, iPad, tablet or camera unattended, out of your sight, or left on a table. Thieves can grab a phone from a table in seconds.

Be aware of your surroundings and only use your mobile when it feels safe to.

When you’ve finished using it, put it away.

Things to do now that will help if your phone gets stolen

Secure your phone

Use your phone’s security features to stop someone using your phone if it’s stolen. Choose a strong PIN, passcode, password or pattern.

Get your IMEI number

Get your phone’s IMEI number by typing *#06# on your phone keypad. Keep a note of it somewhere other than on your phone. The IMEI can help track the phone down if it’s lost or stolen.

Use a tracking app

Set up a tracking app on your phone so you can see where it is from another device like a laptop. Use it as soon as possible, before thieves have a chance to disable it.

Turn off message previews

Turn off message previews, so that thieves won’t see any messages about reset or login codes when your phone is locked.

Make sure you can still access your data

Make sure:

your phone data is regularly being backed up, either automatically over wifi or by plugging it into a computer

there’s somewhere else you can get access codes sent to (two-factor authentication codes) to access your data from another device

you keep important information like family and friends’ phone numbers and passwords somewhere else secure, not just on your phone

If you would like some more information on other crime prevention topics, please click the link below.

For online crime prevention advice visit Crime prevention advice | Hertfordshire Constabulary (herts.police.uk)

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Message Sent By
Kirsty Cooke
(Hertfordshire Constabulary, PCSO, St Albans - Central, North & West)