What to do if I lost my phone?

Losing a phone can be painful and devastating in many ways.

We are dependent on them for many daily usages; connecting with friends, receiving update via social media, getting work done on it, and even making payment from the phone.

A survey shows 6 in 10 users could not live without it.

Not having to use a mobile phone daily can make some people uneasy, losing it is even worse.

In addition, the prices of smartphone escalate drastically over the years, replacing a lost phone can set you back financially.

The most distressing is the loss of information and contacts store in the device, and the thoughts of unauthorised access to your passwords and sensitive data can be frightening.

In the unfortunate event that you realised that your phone goes missing, here are the key things you must do immediately.

1. Call Your Phone

Use another phone to call your lost phone mobile number, listen to the ringing tone, and see if it is merely misplaced.

Hopefully the phone is hidden under a chair cushion or dropped in your car.

Try listening to any buzzing sound as you may have set your lost phone to silent mode.

2. Retrace your last visited place

Recalling the previously visited restaurant, shopping mall, and check with their Lost and Found department.

Finger crossed that some kind souls have returned your lost phone to the establishment you visited.

3. Locate your phone via the built-in app

iPhone User: Use Find My app to locate your device

If you turn on Find My app before your device goes missing, it will allow you to view its location on the map. If the device is nearby, you can have it play a sound to help you find it.

Android User: Use Find My Device
Google also has a similar app to help you locate your lost phone. For this app to work, you must first ensure the app is turned on.

If you have tried the above methods and still could not find your lost phone, you may have to proceed to the following steps for more drastic measures to secure the data in the phone.

4. Report the loss to your Mobile Service Provider

You should call your mobile service provider from an alternate phone. Inform them to suspend or disconnect service to your missing phone to avoid unauthorized cellular usage.

Important: Doing so will mean your mobile number is
uncontactable and no incoming or outgoing calls can be made on the phone.

Here’s a list of the contact information for the major Singapore mobile service provider if you decided to do so:

Starhub helpdesk – 1633 (+65 6820 1633 if calling from overseas)
Singtel helpdesk – 1688 (+65 6235 1688 if calling from overseas)
M1 helpdesk – 1627 (+65 9680 1627 if calling from overseas)
MyRepublic helpdesk +65 6717 1680

5. File a Police Report

Make a police report at your nearest Neighbourhood Police Post or visit Singapore Police Force website to make a Lost Property Report. For online reporting, you will need:

- SingPass account

- valid email address- serial number and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) if applicable

Where can you find the IMEI number if you lost your phone?

- On the back of the phone box (if you still keep it)

- On the phone’s receipt – the vendor may have print it on the receipt or invoice

- If you are using an iPhone, you can also locate the IMEI on iTunes or iCloud. Visit this Apple Guide for more information.

- If you are using the Android phone with Google account registered, visit this guide for more details.

Why do you need a police report? For several reasons,

- Police will mark your phone as lost on their database. If the person who picks up your phone and try to sell it to an authorised Secondhand Dealer, the seller will be unable to do so as the phone IMEI will appear as ‘Stolen’ if the dealer performs a search on Secondhand Goods Dealers Transaction Records System record.

- Filing a police report will provide you with an official document and reference number needed to claiming insurance (if you have one).

- It also serves as documentation if a fraudulent transaction was made using your mobile phone.

6. Wipe All Data From Your Phone

If you have exhausted all alternatives and the hope of getting your lost phone back is slim, the next best thing is to wipe all data from your phone.

Removing data from your phone can be done remotely for iPhone and Android. However, be aware this option is permanent and cannot be undone.

It will erase all data in your phone, and if you found your device, the phone is effectively reset to factory defaults.

This option should be considered as a last resort to prevent your sensitive data from being abstract from your lost device.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you do not need to resort to any of these measures. But as the value of a smartphone is getting more expensive, theft of these electronic devices gets more tempting.

Always be alert of your surrounding and keep your valuable in your bag or pockets. A habit of checking your belongings will save you lots of time and unnecessary worries as well.

Need help?

Let us know if you have any queries on our service. Whatsapp or call us at 9336 0575 or email us at [email protected]