Lost
and stolen mobile phones keep
it safe & know what to do
if you lose it.
If you lose
your mobile phone, or have it
stolen, not only do you have
to deal with the inconvenience
of not having your phone, but
you could be paying for someone
else?s calls!
PREVENTION
Prevention
is better than cure.
Reduce your
phone?s appeal to thieves and
assist in its recovery if it
is lost or stolen:
1) Treat
your phone as you would any
valuable item:
Even if you got your handset
as a $0 upfront deal?, this
does not reflect its true cost.
Handsets are expensive - they
can cost more than $1000.
- Be discrete. Keep your
mobile on you. Never put it
down in a public place or
leave it unattended.
- Switch
to vibrate mode in circumstances
where a ring tone might attract
the attention of a thief.
2) Use
your phone?s security features:
Your phone has security features
which you can use to stop others
using your phone for example,
you can set a Personal Identification
Number (PIN) number which must
be entered before anyone can
use the phone. Read your handset
User Guide to find out what
features your phone has and
use them. Even if your phone
isn?t stolen, someone might
be tempted to borrow your phone
and make a few expensive calls without
your knowledge.
3) Name
it: Some form
of personal identification on
your phone can deter the would-be
thief. Consider engraving your
initials on your phone and the
battery, and ? if you have one
also including your driver?s
license number.
4) Know
your IMEI: Every
mobile phone has a unique 15-digit
electronic serial number, known
as the International Mobile
Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
Record your phone?s IMEI number
and keep it in a safe place
in case your phone is lost or
stolen. You can check your IMEI
number by dialing *#06#.
5) Insurance:
Don?t assume your phone is covered
in your (or your parent?s) home
contents insurance. Check and
consider insuring it separately,
if necessary. Remember that
even if you got the phone for
‘$0 upfront?, this doesn?t mean
it was free it means the cost
was absorbed in the overall
contract price. You may not
be able to get a replacement
phone for $0 upfront.
LOST OR
STOLEN
If your
phone is lost or stolen:
6) Notify
your network carrier AND the
police immediately
in the event of loss or theft.
Tell them your IMEI number and
any other identifying features
on your phone (e.g. engraved
initials). Your carrier can
use this number to block your
phone from all networks once
you report the phone lost or
stolen, making it useless to
any thief. Importantly, this
also ensures you?re not paying
for any calls made by the thief.
If the handset is subsequently
found, the IMEI block can be
easily removed as long as you
can prove you?re the original,
rightful owner of the phone.
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