What do you do when your Android phone is stolen?

[jodor]

My niece's Android phone was stolen on the bus today, and it's not likely that it will be found. We withdrew phone service from it, but all her personal phone contact information, texts, and some apps with some personal information are on it. (I don't know what version of Android it is, but she got it new about 1 year ago.)

• Does withdrawing phone service remove her phone contacts from the phone, text messages, etc., or are they stored in the phone itself?
• Is there a way to wipe her phone?
• If the battery dies, will the existing memory be wiped?
• I don't know if she has a Google account, but if she does, can something be done from there to block access to her contacts and personal information?
  
• Any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[ocnbrze]

My niece's Android phone was stolen on the bus today, and it's not likely that it will be found. We withdrew phone service from it, but all her personal phone contact information, texts, and some apps with some personal information are on it. (I don't know what version of Android it is, but she got it new about 1 year ago.)

• Does withdrawing phone service remove her phone contacts from the phone, text messages, etc., or are they stored in the phone itself?
• Is there a way to wipe her phone?
• If the battery dies, will the existing memory be wiped?
• I don't know if she has a Google account, but if she does, can something be done from there to block access to her contacts and personal information?
  
• Any suggestions?

Thank you!

welcome to the forums!!!!

sorry to here about this, but here is what i would do:

first i get Plan B. just use the link and select install. with this you can lock the device and locate it.

next i would call your carrier and let them know what has happened and what you did with plan b.

 

[mydian]

Contacts are synced with her google account, and stored on the phone. She should change her google password immediately!

As far as I know you will not be able to wipe the phone remotely unless an app was already installed that can do that. There is an app called "plan b" that you can install remotely to locate it. But the phone needs network access, and if you already canceled the service to that phone it's very unlikely that you'll be able to install it.

If the battery dies it's no different than any other time it dies. No memory is wiped. It just needs recharged.

This is why a phone should always have a password and some kind of remote locate/wipe installed. Lookout, Avast, Androidlost, Where's my droid, etc..

 

[KENNECTED]

Contacts are synced with her google account, and stored on the phone. She should change her google password immediately!

As far as I know you will not be able to wipe the phone remotely unless an app was already installed that can do that. There is an app called "plan b" that you can install remotely to locate it. But the phone needs network access, and if you already canceled the service to that phone it's very unlikely that you'll be able to install it.

If the battery dies it's no different than any other time it dies. No memory is wiped. It just needs recharged.

This is why a phone should always have a password and some kind of remote locate/wipe installed. Lookout, Avast, Androidlost, Where's my droid, etc..

That is if she is storing contacts to her google account. Many people add them directly to the phones memory. Lets hope she added to the google account.

 

[Davdi]

Definitely install Plan B, and hope you can locate the phone. Otherwise call the carrier, get the Sim blocked, and tell them the IMEI so the phone can be blocked as well. that way you won't get the phone back, but it's no use to anyone else.

 

[FinancialWar]

Plan B and other "tracking" Apps are useless if the person who stolen/found the phone does clean install using Odin.

So if Plan B does not work, call up your service provide and block the IMEI number.

 

[ignb]

Block the IMEI number or wipe her phone if she use some sort of anti-theft software like Plan B. For Google account - change the password.

 

[Slug]

ALWAYS notify the network asap, whatever else you do. Not only will this quickly render the lost/stolen handset useless, it should also prevent you beng responsible for any charges the "finder" racks up on the account. IEMI (or similar) blocks can always be reversed if the handset is recovered.

As also suggested, changing all linked account passwords (Google, Facebook, Twitter etc) is also imperative.

 

[jodor]

Thank you everyone for your responses. The parents had immediately cancelled phone service to the phone, so Plan B is unfortunately not an option as I understand a connection is needed. As suggested, she changed all her applicable passwords. Thanks again.

 

[FinancialWar]

Thank you everyone for your responses. The parents had immediately cancelled phone service to the phone, so Plan B is unfortunately not an option as I understand a connection is needed. As suggested, she changed all her applicable passwords. Thanks again.

Did you request the IMEI to be blocked?? That is very important because it makes the phone useless in your country and the thief/finder will probably just return after realise that the phone can not make any calls and can't be sold in secondary market.

My phone was returned to my service provider booth a weekend after 5 days after I blocked the IMEI, but the c**t kept my 32GB SD card...

 

[AlkiDweller]

Thank you everyone for your responses. The parents had immediately cancelled phone service to the phone, so Plan B is unfortunately not an option as I understand a connection is needed. As suggested, she changed all her applicable passwords. Thanks again.

Try Plan B anyway. Your phone may still be able to connect via WiFi.