Author Topic: Should you lock your mobile Phone?  (Read 897 times)

BuzyG

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Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« on: 16:43:09, 13/06/20 »
Embarrassing admission to kick off this thread.  Yesterday I went for a jog on Bodmin moor.  Phone in one hand running the stop watch, water bottle in the other hand. Single car key in my pocket.  When I finished my car key was hooked into the lining of my pocket, so I put the bottle and phone on the roof while I untangled it.  Of course the bottle then rolled off.  So as as you will of guest by now, when I drove off a few minutes later, the phone was still on the roof.  :-[


So after blocking the SIM card this morning, and being told it could take 24 hours before it would take effect, I was delighted when Mrs G phoned home from work to tell me the finder had just called her. So all is now arranged to pick it up again in an hour or so. 


So to the thread title.  When I'm jogging and using the stop watch I disable the security pin on the phone , because it is a pain.  As a result and because I didn't report it until today, the finder was able to obtain my wife's number and call her.  If not I'm sure I would never have seen the phone again.



So should you lock your phone?


PS. I would add I don't use my phone for any financial transactions. But obviously my pictures and contacts are on there.

ninthace

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #1 on: 17:42:42, 13/06/20 »
My phone locks by default.  Requires a fingerprint or PIN to unlock.  It is a minor inconvenience compared with losing your phone with all your personal data, emails etc accessible to whoever finds it.  It is also findable through my iPad if I misplace/lose it.  If you use it for banking and have a contactless app it is just like losing your debit card.
On the other hand I did find a mobile once and by going through the contacts was able to reunite with its owner.
Solvitur Ambulando

gunwharfman

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #2 on: 18:15:34, 13/06/20 »
My phone locks by default as well, I just use a 4 digit PIN to unlock it. I sometimes have used my phone as a stopwatch. When I come to about 20yds to my finishing point I just hold my phone in my hand, the screen lights up, I swipe the screen upwards, tap in the for digits and then stop the clock. It's so quick I can almost do it blindfold, does your phone make you follow a more complicated procedure to get to the stopwatch?

I once found a Nokia phone lying in the grass beside a layby where I had parked on the Isle of Wight. I too looked through the phone contacts list and also noticed a few racy messages from the owner to her boyfriend as well. I phoned a number and within 15  minutes a teacher from the junior school across the road came over to collect it.

motorlaunch

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #3 on: 18:53:13, 13/06/20 »
Most phone allow you to put a message on the lockscreen. Mine says" If found  contact tel: ****** "  



You can put in whatever you wish.

Lee R

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #4 on: 19:24:22, 13/06/20 »
We have each others numbers displayed as a message on the lock screen.


We found a phone a couple of years ago now in a woodland & luckily notifications were on the lock screen so I managed to get hold of an email address & the phone was eventually returned.

Mel

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #5 on: 20:39:49, 13/06/20 »
So should you lock your phone?

PS. I would add I don't use my phone for any financial transactions. But obviously my pictures and contacts are on there.


I'd say yes when you're not using it.  Can you not set it to stay unlocked until you briefly press the power button (that's what I do on mine).


It's not so much what you do with it as what could be done with it if it got into the wrong hands  :-\

BuzyG

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #6 on: 20:47:48, 13/06/20 »
Most phone allow you to put a message on the lockscreen. Mine says" If found  contact tel: ****** "



You can put in whatever you wish.

Happily I have it back now. Great idea, just set that up, didn't know you could O0

All's well that ends well.  I expect 99+ people out of 100. would have a giggle at at most and return the phone.  It's the other few though, a bit like ticks, that you need to guard against.  It will be staying locked from now on.  I'm sure i'll quickly learn the nack of recording a time at the end of a jog.
« Last Edit: 20:57:34, 13/06/20 by BuzyG »

SteamyTea

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #7 on: 22:13:26, 13/06/20 »
I found a phone in the street, picked it up and was taking it to the Police Station when it rang.
Pulled over, answered it and it was the owner.  I asked where he was and it was the same street I had found it in.
Turned around and there he was, very relived.  He was on holiday and it was his only form of payment.


I think you can get into an Android phone by switching it off, then on and off again, 3 times, then it boots into safe mode.
Do that with a Crapple and it will lock you out for 1000 years (though it may be a few hours).


I lock mine, as it has the Tesco payment app on it.  And 50 quids worth of free coffee at Costa.
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archaeoroutes

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Re: Should you lock your mobile Phone?
« Reply #8 on: 22:52:54, 13/06/20 »
Yep, I'm another who has my ICE contact on the lock screen. I put it there for emergency workers in case I'm ever found unconscious, but it would work for someone returning it, too.
You can also get stickers, key fobs, etc. where anyone finding something drops it in a post box and it gets routed to you without giving away your contact information.
Walking routes visiting ancient sites in Britain's uplands: http://www.archaeoroutes.co.uk

 

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