Having anything stolen is frustrating and costly, but if your personal electronic devices get stolen, all your personal details could also be stolen through fraud.
In order to retrieve the device or stop others from stealing your personal information, it’s important to keep calm and follow a few simple steps.
- Inform the right people
Contact the authorities to report a stolen device and file a police report. This not only helps your insurance but increases the likelihood of recovering the device. Get in touch with your mobile or laptop provider immediately afterwards so they can block anyone else from using it. Then, file a claim with your insurers so you can get a replacement device to use in the meantime. We recommend contacting employers, friends and family to raise awareness of your situation and update them with new contact details. - Change passwords
If you were logged into personal accounts on your device, access them using a different device and change all your passwords to a strong one. If your account on your phone can be accessed elsewhere (for example iCloud can be accessed on different devices) you might be able to see the location of your device and restrict access. If you are able to see the location of your device, pass this information onto the police. - Deactivate
After you deactivate your device, you will no longer be able to track it, but it is in place to be a last resort. Deactivating your device means the thief won’t be able to access your device at all, nor will they be able to add a new SIM card or reset the device. - Preventative measures
Once you have everything sorted and have acquired a new device, you can employ a few techniques to minimise the risk of it happening again. Firstly, never leave your device unattended, as most device thefts are from opportunity rather than a planned attack. Set a passcode on your device that is not easily guessed to ensure they can’t access your device even if they have stolen it.
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