How to protect your data on your stolen smartphone

Few people get their smartphone stolen, and are lucky to have it back again.

This was the case of 24-year-old Louise Morild Jensen, who lost her iPhone a few weeks ago. Using the Find My iPhone application, she tracked down the fact that the phone was in an asylum center.

However, there was no help from the police who would not search the site because it was not possible to specify which building her iPhone was in.
Neither Louise nor anyone else who is exposed to the theft of her smartphone wants private pictures and information to fall into the hands of the wrong ones.

Based on this, IT experts from AnyTech365 IoT Security Solutions provide you with 6 tips for handling stolen smartphones to ensure the best possible personal data protection.

1. Get your SIM card locked

   The first thing to do when you lose your smartphone is to make sure your SIM card is blocked. Call your telecommunications company to help you unblock your SIM card so you don’t have to pay for a high phone bill.

2. Change your passwords

   Even if your SIM card is blocked, the thief can connect your smartphone to a wireless network and thus access your emails and social media. Therefore, change your passwords to critical accounts so that the thief does not have access to your online banking and personal information that can lead to identity theft in the worst case. Having a PIN on your phone makes it much harder for unauthorized people to access the content.

3. Track your phone

   Most smartphones are equipped with GPS feature, which allows you to track the phone if it is stolen or you lose it. Using the Find My iPhone or Where’s My Droid application, you can track and lock your smartphone remotely.

4. Delete personal data

   No one wants unauthorized persons to have access to one’s photos, contacts and other personal data. Fortunately, you have the option to delete the contents of your stolen smartphone.
   If you have an iPhone, use iCloud and have installed Find My iPhone, you can log on to icloud.com/find to delete the contents of your stolen device.

   If you are an Android user, you also have the same option. All it takes is that you set up your phone for it. To do this, turn on Android Device Manager. When turned on, just like with an iPhone, you can see where the device is and delete all content on it.

5. Inform your friends

   It is a good idea to inform your friends and family that your smartphone has been stolen. Unless you have changed all your passwords and your friends see that something mysterious is being posted from your Facebook profile, they can alert you to it. In the worst case, it can lead to identity theft or be a virus that spreads to your Facebook friends.

6. Report the theft to the police and your insurance company

   Report the theft to the police in the city where the phone was stolen. Also, contact your insurance company to see how much the insurance covers.

Hope those 6 tips to protect your data on your stolen smarthpone will not be needed and you will never have your phone stolen, however it is always handy to know what to do should it happen, you may also like to read the following 6 Tips to protect your smartphone, it’s never to late to feel safe.