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Having your cell phone stolen is extremely distressing. Without even mentioning the shock that it can cause, there are all the other repercussions. Indeed, besides the expense made for their acquisition, mobiles are nowadays full of precious information which, in the wrong hands, can have heavy consequences. Identity, bank data, photos, emails, contacts… Not to mention memories, social networks, settings for listening to the radio online … in short, a total mess!
What to do when this happens, how to protect your privacy quickly and effectively? I give you in this article, the 5 reflexes to adopt in case of theft of your iPhone, and yes because I was stolen for the first time my iPhone in a casino in Las Vegas and was 24 hours of stress.
Photo : Shutterstock
1. Locate your phone via iCloud
The first thing to do is to try to locate your phone by connecting to iCloud.com/find, or via the dedicated “Locate” application (from any other Apple device). If you can’t find your device in the list, it’s probably because geolocation is not activated on the mobile you are looking for. I would still advise you to follow the instructions given online to protect your iCloud account remotely, as this is an additional security especially for your data.
2. Block the SIM card or eSim
Depending on the package associated with the phone, calls, SMS/MMS to foreign countries could quickly inflate your bill if you do not stop the thief! So I can’t recommend you enough to contact your operator to block your SIM card immediately. You can also do it from the personal space of the website of operators like T-Mobile US or Verizon. However, you will have to prove your identity by providing all the information you have, such as the line number, your login details, the secret code on your invoices, the password of your account (in the case of a personal manipulation from the online account). The blocking is instantaneous and you will not need to justify anything else at this stage.
3. File a police report
I don’t teach you anything, it is essential to file a complaint in case of theft of your iPhone, in particular so that a legal action can follow, if by chance we find your mobile, as well as the author of the theft. The main reason remains that of having the line suspended by your operator, the latter not being able to act without prior receipt of the said complaint. To do this, go to any police station.
Ideally, I would advise you to file a complaint at the closest police station located near the place of the theft (if possible), on the one hand to restrict the area of possible research and on the other hand, to act as quickly as possible.
4. Contact your mobile or home insurance
If you have a mobile insurance, contact your insurer without wasting a moment! First of all, because if you want to make use of your contract, you always have a deadline to declare your claim, otherwise you will be refused coverage.
Depending on the terms of your insurance, you may be able to get a loan phone quickly, to avoid being without a cell phone for too long. The same goes for your home insurance. Most offer options these days to insure the connected items in your home. If you have this option, don’t hesitate to report the loss quickly to enforce your rights.
In either case, you will be offered a simple replacement of your equipment (usually with depreciation deducted), based on a predefined fixed price or at its replacement value (always depending on the terms of the contract). Finally, for those who have subscribed to an AppleCare+ contract (including loss and theft guarantees), associated with their iPhone, I strongly recommend you to open a dispute via the dedicated platform, in order to obtain the replacement of your phone as soon as possible (beware there is a deductible to pay).
5. Find a new phone
Last step, replace your stolen equipment! If you were able to get insurance, great! It may take a little time, but eventually you’ll get it right. If not, it may be more complicated. If by chance you are at the end of your contract with your operator, don’t hesitate to look at the current offers.
I also invite you to try negotiating with your operator, especially if you are a loyal customer. The result is obviously not guaranteed, but it is not impossible that the operator will grant you a commercial gesture for the acquisition of a new smartphone. You can also turn to offers without subscription and pay the bill in several monthly installments.
Bottom line
Be careful, it happens when you don’t expect it at all! And remember to have a complete and recent backup of your phone on iCloud or on your Mac as a security measure.
