Losing your cell phone or having it stolen from you is a traumatic experience, but being prepared before that happens can make the situation a bit easier to manage. This tutorial will introduce you to several solutions that you can explore to help you find your lost or stolen cell phone.
N.B. These programs must be downloaded onto the device before it is lost or stolen.
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iPad and iPhones under iOS
The Find My iPhone tool allows you to locate a lost iPhone, iPod, iPad, or Macbook using another iOS device.
Other options for finding a lost iOS device include TopSecret and Undercover.
Android Phones
To find a lost or stolen Android phone, try using [https://m.wavesecure.com/ Wave Secure or Prey. For Sony Xperia smartphones, try My Experia.
For Samsung phones, you can use Samsung’s Find My Mobile feature.
Symbian Phones
If you’ve lost a Symbian device, Phone Locator could be very helpful.
Blackberry Phones under RIM
BlackBerry Protect is a tool that allows you to locate your BlackBerry phone if you ever lose it as well as perform remote actions to secure your data (e.g. lock the phone, wipe all data, etc.). The BlackBerry Protect feature is by default integrated into the operating system of BlackBerry 10 smartphones; for earlier models, you can simply download the application for free.
Windows Phone
This free service is accessible in the My Phone section of http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb. You can access this program from a computer connected to the internet and, from there, perform several remote actions on your phone, including locating your phone on a map, locking the device, and clearing data stored on the phone.
AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint Subscribers
In the U.S., the four largest phone subscribers are AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Unfortunately, these companies do not offer special phone locating services for smartphones, as many of these devices are already equipped with a dedicated feature.
However, if you are trying to locate a basic phone and are a Sprint user, the company provides a Family Locator service that can help.
Using Antivirus Programs
Some antivirus programs do more than just protect you from viruses. With the right program, you will be able to locate your phone, remotely wipe the information stored on the device, and lock the phone to prevent the use of a new SIM card.
One example of such a program, is Anti-Theft by F Secure. This free software allows you to lock your phone remotely, delete data, and retrieve the phone number of any new SIM card inserted in the phone. It runs on Android, Symbian, Windows.
Another antivirus software with these features is Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security. With a subscription to Trend Micro, you are able to remotely wipe data from your smartphone if it is stolen.
Finally, Kaspersky Anti-Virus will block your phone remotely and send a predetermined SMS messages to your phone. You also have the option to erase your data remotely.
Make a Phone on Silent or Vibrate Ring Remotely
If you think that your lost phone may be nearby, you can make it ring remotely even if you’d previously put it on vibrate or silent.
For BlackBerry phones, use the BlackBerry Protect service. For Apple phones, use Find My iPhone. For Windows Phones, use the Find My Phone option available on the Microsoft website. For Android phone, try using Android’s built-in Device Management service or a third-party service like Dring Contact.
Lost or Stolen Phone Insurance
You can also sign up for a phone insurance plan, which will cover you for a range of incidents — but not all, so be sure to read all contracts carefully and pay attention to what is covered and, especially, what is not. Some insurance plans will even cover other devices, like cameras and computers.