What to do if your phone is stolen on a trip

We will tell you what to do if your phone is stolen on a trip. You will also learn what you should do first to protect your personal data from fraudsters.

What to do about a stolen phone

In case of theft of a smartphone, it is important for an owner to do the two things first — to make it impossible for fraudsters to use the information as soon as possible and record the crime at the nearest police station.

Let's see what to do if your phone is stolen in priority order.

Call your mobile operator

Do this as soon as you realize that the phone has actually been stolen. Ask a support service specialist to block the SIM card. This will protect you from unauthorized transactions. It'll also prevent scammers from using your One-Time Password (OTP) to reset your current password and access all the basic functions of your smartphone.

Check with your operator for any blocking options. For example, some companies may impose restrictions that will make the gadget unsuitable for use with SIM cards of other operators.

Inform the bank about the theft of your phone

What to do if my phone is stolen — should I report it to the bank or not? Modern banking applications work reliably and protect the data of their users. To hack a PIN-code and outsmart biometric authentication technology is almost impossible.

But if you kept your passwords in a regular file in a cloud service, a memo app or in emails, you better call your bank and set a temporary block on all accounts and cards.

In addition, block all services with transactions via your mobile wallet and UPI's instant payment system. To do this, simply call the service provider and explain the situation.

If the SIM card is still active after blocking all financial applications, try to block it as soon as possible. As long as fraudsters still have your active SIM card, the chances of hacking the password of any financial app remain extremely high.

Read also: How to cheat tourists: 8 fraud schemes

Change all passwords

Banking applications on your smartphone are protected by bio authentication and a unique PIN code. But logging into an online store or accessing your email using your account is often much easier as there are no additional protection levels.

It's important to change the passwords of all sites, services, and applications that you use frequently on your smartphone. Shopping apps and password managers should definitely be on this list. This way, you are guaranteed to prevent unauthorized access to your account on various resources.

Protect your gadget with the OS

Each OS has its own protection methods. Below, we will see in more detail what to do if your Android or iOS phone is stolen.

For Android

Your task is to delete all data and block your smartphone. Android allows you to do this remotely, after which you must be sure to leave the system via the «Find My Device‎»‎ option.

Algorithm of action:

1. Go to «Find My Device‎»‎. 2. Select the «Protect device». 3. Create and enter a new password, then click «Next». 4. To set the block, do everything according to the instructions shown on the screen.

To completely clear the data on your Android smartphone, you need to:

1. Go to «Find My Device‎»‎ 2. Select «Erase device‎»‎ and continue. 3. Log into your Google account. 4. As soon as the check is finished, the «Find Phone‎»‎ option will completely clear the gadget of all information. If the smartphone is offline, the process will start as soon as it is connected to the network.

For iPhone

Log in to your Apple ID account on one of your devices. Find the lost phone in the list of connected gadgets and activate «Missing Mode‎»‎. After that, the system will prompt you to enter a contact number and send a message to the person who might find the missing smartphone.

If you want to delete all your data, simply go to the official iCloud website and enter your Apple ID. In the menu that appears, select «Erase iPhone»‎.

Report to the police

The faster you do this, the better the chances are for the police to quickly detain criminals. .

Going to the police also ensures that you won't be liable for any fraudulent activity on your phone from the date and time the theft was reported. And if you have phone insurance, the insurance company will definitely require a report from the police before paying compensation for your stolen phone.

Tell your family and people close to you

What to do if your phone is stolen — should you tell your family and friends right away or wait and do it later? Tell your husband, wife, best friend, girlfriend or parents immediately after the theft. This will prevent them from reacting to fraudsters' requests to transfer money and other fake requests.

Calling your family and close people from a new number is not always a good idea, because calls from unfamiliar numbers are scary, and many people don't answer them at all. Therefore, it is recommended to write to your acquaintances in a messenger or in social networks.

Do you want to be guaranteed to stay connected during any trip abroad? Download the Yesim app and enjoy convenient mobile Internet globally.

Make sure your gadget supports eSIM on the official website.

Change the SIM card and a phone

Your operator may provide a replacement for your stolen SIM card, but they will probably charge you extra for it. Until your contract expires with all your monthly payments, it's unlikely that you'll get a free replacement phone, either.

In this case, there are only two options:

1. Buy a device for your money and continue to use the old contract. 2. Wait for the current contract to expire and sign a new one.

If your phone is insured separately or is part of a housing policy, you have the right to ask the insurance company for a new smartphone. Call the call center to find out the amount they can cover and available replacement options. In case of theft, insurers need to be told the number of the crime report

How to protect yourself from phone theft

These simple steps will help you protect both your gadget and the information on it from fraudsters:

• back pocket or bag are the worst places to keep the phone, find a more secure place;
• Update your data backup on a regular basis. If it is stolen, be sure to delete all information, and if you have a copy, it will take a few minutes to restore it;
• Instead of SMS access, activate two-factor identification — this will make it much more difficult for fraudsters to hack your smartphone;
• don't store passwords in browsers, start using a secure password manager;
• Add a backup number to your account and make sure you have access to that number in case your smartphone is stolen;
• Put a protective PIN-code on the SIM-card, so that fraudsters won't be able to use the chip in another phone;
• Activate the «Find my device»‎ option to quickly delete all data remotely in case of theft;
• Write down the IMEI code and serial number of the phone, keep these data in a safe place and take them with you when you file a police report;
• Protect your gadget with a biometric ID, create a complex password and activate auto-lock.

You can always be in touch when traveling abroad by registering in the Yesim app. There is no need to overpay for roaming and to understand the rules and tariffs of the foreign Internet. Just activate the service on your smartphone and enjoy quality communication all around the world.

Read also: What is eSIM: what is it for and how to use it

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