However, Find My Device is typically on as long as you add a Google account to your phone. Hit Find My Device and toggle it on to enable tracking. It's a good idea to make sure you've enabled location services on your phone and provided Google with permission to trace your phone location. You can use any web browser to find your lost Android, such as the one on your home. Erase Device: If you've lost all hope in finding your phone's location, you can remotely erase everything on it permanently. If youve lost your Android phone, you can use Find My Device to find it.This option still ensures you can locate your device, and, even better, you can display a phone number with which someone may call you if they come across your device. Secure Device: If you know your phone is lost, you can make sure it's locked so no one can get into it.If the phone is anywhere near you, you should hear it. Play Sound: Your phone will sound the alarm for five minutes, even if the volume is set to silent.' I'd rather lose a phone than my life.To the left of the map, you'll see three services that you can use if your phone is not currently in your possession: 'Yes, you don't want to lose a phone that costs multiple hundreds of dollars,' Levy says. In the end, if the police can't or won't help find your missing phone, tech analyst Levy says you should just let your insurance plan cover the loss - and if you don't have insurance, the best thing to do is accept your phone is gone. 'Meet up in a public place and let someone know where you are,' she says. 'It's a low priority,' she says, 'but if somebody has the stolen possession right there, then they will respond as soon as possible.'Īnd if the person who has your phone is willing to return it to you, Sidhu recommends taking safety precautions. Use your websites backend to validate the number by using the Amazon Pinpoint API. If police know the potential thieves are in the area, Sidhu says they will come to help. Verifying phone numbers provided on a web form If you use web-based forms to collect contact information for your customers, you validate the phone numbers that customers provide before submitting the form. (CBC )'Don't confront the individuals if you feel it is unsafe or do not put yourself in an unsafe situation,' she advises. A Toronto police officer says call law officials instead. They will be able to help you deactivate your device and wipe it clean of your personal information, 'rendering the phone useless to whoever has stolen it from you,' Sihdu says.ĭon't confront suspected phone thieves. Once your phone is lost or stolen, the first thing you should do is contact your wireless service provider. Your IMEI is what you will need to give to your service provider or local law enforcement agency to report it missing, so you should write it down and store it somewhere safe. Otherwise, the number should be printed on a white label underneath the battery. To find your IMEI on most devices, dial *#0 6#, and the number should appear on your screen. 'In simple terms, an electronic serial number,' Sidhu explains.

Instead, Sidhu and Levy offer alternative advice: Know your device's serial number (IMEI)īefore your phone even has a chance to go missing, you should find out your international mobile equipment identification number, or IMEI. 'It's great technology, but be mindful if it's taking you to an unfamiliar location,' said Const. Jeniffer Sidhu, a spokeswoman for the Toronto Police Service. 'Do not confront them.' Police also recognize that with apps making it so much easier, people may be tempted take matters into their own hands. (Gustau Nacarino/Reuters)'Unfortunately, I think this is a perfect example of why sometimes technology will not solve the problem - in fact, it will get us into a whole lot of trouble,' journalist and tech analyst Carmi Levy told CBC's Metro Morning. Many smartphones sold these days have GPS tracking apps built into them.

Pinpoint my phone