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9 Tips if you have just lost your Phone

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Ankit Parashar
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These ultimate tips can help you locate, lock and backup your smartphone in time of emergency.

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I can still remember the horrible feeling when I lost my brand new Moto M. I went to attend a function with my wife. We danced, eat, chatted a lot with cousins and enjoyed a lot. A couple hours later, me and my wife drove back to home. Half an hour later I realized I couldn’t find my cell phone. And then I couldn’t remember putting it in my pocket when I left the hotel. My stomach started to churn as I carefully looked through my jacket, and car but the phone wasn’t there. My mind raced with thoughts of all the personal information that was on my phone: contact numbers, emails and photos.

I was unlucky and could be lucky if I wish I had Apple I-phone to find My iPhone app to locate my phone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my phone back ever.

You could be luckiest person no matter using Android or Apple IOS or Windows by following these simple steps.

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Use auto-lock and a passcode

Every device has some kind of locking or password mechanism. But many people simply do not use these functions, leaving their contacts, text messages, emails, and social networking accounts open to anyone who has the phone.

Use a 'find my phone' app

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For Android phone- To set up this app on a phone running Android 2.2 or later, find the Android Device Manager in Google Settings, which is typically an icon on your desktop with the letter "g" and a gear-like symbol next to it. If necessary, use the phone's search function to search for "Google Settings." To track down a missing phone, use a computer to access Android Device Manager in the browser's address bar.

For iPhone- Download and install Find My iPhone from the iTunes App Store, then sign in with your iTunes account. To track down a missing phone, use a computer to access Find My iPhone.

For Windows phone- Find the Find My Phone app in the main settings menu. To track down a missing phone, use a computer to go to Microsoft's account sign-in screen.

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Back up your photos and videos

Selecting a carrier-neutral source, such as Apple's iCloud, Android's Google +, or Microsoft's OneDrive will make it easier to retrieve your precious memories should your next phone be from a different carrier.

Attach a note

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You may not love the idea of marring your phone’s great looks, but doing so may increase your chances of getting it back if it's found by an honest person. Tape a tiny note on the back of your phone with your e-mail address or a work number. In my informal tests, printing my e-mail address in a small font and taping it on with a small strip of shipping tape worked well on phones with smooth metal or plastic surfaces.

On Android phones, you can also type such a message in the Owner Info section of the Security submenu in Settings. But if you erase the contents of your phone, that message will disappear.

Don’t save passwords to your browser

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When you visit password-protected websites, take the time to type in the password. Otherwise, a thief could access sensitive information simply by unlocking your phone. It may seem tiresome to enter your password every time, but the extra effort could help you protect your identity.

After the phone is gone

Change your important passwords

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As soon as you realize your phone is no longer in your possession and not quickly recoverable, go to the nearest secure computer, log into every account you had on your phone (banking, shopping, e-mail, etc.) and change your passwords.

Call your institutions

Inform your bank and credit card companies that you've lost your phone to alert them to possible fraudulent charges. The sooner they know, the easier it will be to dispute unauthorized account activities.

Report the theft immediately

If your phone was stolen, alert your carrier as soon as possible so the phone can be disabled. Let police know even if it’s unlikely the phone will be recovered. It helps authorities track crime patterns. And if you find a phone, turn it in to law enforcement. It may be possible to trace a phone back to its owner.

Report your Insurance company if your phone is covered

If your phone is covered under the insurance policy, immediately inform your insurance company follows their procedures by filing important documents like FIR copy, Disconnection report of your telecom operator.  It will help you to get you hassle free insured amount of your device as soon as possible.

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