What To Do If Your Phone Is Stolen or Lost

How Can You Recover a Lost or Stolen Phone?

Our smartphones are prime targets for crooks — and not just the ones who resell stolen devices. Identity thieves and scammers can use your stolen phone (and the data and accounts contained on it) to steal your money, take over your accounts, and scam your contacts.

Recently, thieves followed a Manhattan woman and spied on her as she entered her phone’s password, before stealing it — and draining $10,000 from her accounts [*].

If your phone is missing or has been stolen, you need to act quickly to protect your identity, accounts, and money. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how scammers can take advantage of a stolen phone, what to do when you discover that your phone is missing, and how to secure yourself in the future against phone theft.

What Can Scammers Do With Your Stolen Phone? 5 Risks

Losing your phone can cost you more than just the replacement expense of a new device. In the wrong hands, your phone can compromise your identity, online accounts, and bank accounts — even if you manage to recover the phone later. 

If someone steals or finds your missing phone, they can potentially: 

• Access your email and other logged-in accounts. Many sensitive accounts are easily accessible from your phone. With access to your email or social media accounts, fraudsters can pose as you and use any credit cards or financial details you have stored with those accounts.
• Find sensitive photos and videos. Photos, videos, or documents on your phone can be used in a blackmail scheme. 
• Scam your contacts via texts and emails. With access to your phone number, scammers can assume your identity to coax information out of your family members, friends, and colleagues — threatening your safety and theirs.
• Hack your accounts and lock you out. Even if you use two-factor authentication (2FA), scammers can request codes sent to your stolen phone and then change the password on your online banking and email accounts. 
• Install malware. A recovered phone can also put you at risk — especially if scammers install malware that allows them to listen to your conversations, track your location, and spy on your browser activity remotely.

The bottom line: Whether your phone is stolen or just lost, you need to act quickly to secure your accounts, finances, and identity. 

13 Steps To Take If Your Phone Is Stolen or Lost 

1. Make sure your phone isn’t just misplaced
2. Use your “Find My Phone” feature to locate and lock your device
3. Update your main online accounts, and enable 2FA
4. Force log out any accounts that are open on your phone
5. Report the theft to your provider (and lock your SIM)
6. Cancel any linked credit cards or financial accounts
7. Warn your friends and family about the theft
8. File a police report (and request an identity theft affidavit)
9. Freeze your credit file with all three major bureaus
10. Remotely erase your phone’s data
11. Check your insurance coverage
12. Remove lost devices from your Google or Apple account
13. Monitor your identity and finances for fraud

As soon as you realize that your phone is missing, here’s what to do in order to help secure your accounts, mitigate damage, and protect your friends and family. 

1. Make sure your phone isn’t just misplaced

The majority of lost cell phones are simply misplaced, usually in the home or workplace. 

Before you take further steps, do a sweep of your home or office to make sure you haven’t left your phone somewhere nearby. You should also use a different phone to call yours to see if you can hear it ringing or buzzing — or if someone else answers it.

One option for Apple users with an Apple Watch is to use the “Ping your iPhone” feature, found in the Control Center app. Wearers of Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 can even get directions straight to their phone’s location.

2. Use your “Find My Phone” feature to locate and lock your device

Both iOS and Google have apps or built-in features that can help you find and secure your phone.

Note: Both devices require you to enable the “Find My” feature before your device is stolen or lost. 

How to use “Find My iPhone”:

• Log in to your Apple ID account on another device (Mac, iPad, etc.).
• Head to iCloud.com/find to see if your phone is somewhere familiar.
• If your phone is lost or stolen, enable lost mode to remotely lock the device and any cards stored in Apple Pay.
• You can also choose to display a message and your contact information on your lock screen.

How to use Android’s “Find My Device”:

• Head to android.com/find and sign in to your Google account. 
• Check to see where your phone is located.
• If your phone is lost or stolen, enable lock & erase. 
• Then, choose either to: secure device (locks your device with your PIN or password) or erase device (permanently deletes all data).
• You can also choose to play sound, which will ring your device at full volume for five minutes to help you (or a good samaritan) find it.

3. Update your main online accounts, and enable 2FA

Any account that is linked to your stolen phone can be at risk of hacking and account takeover fraud. 

First, log in to your accounts (email, social media, etc.) and change your passwords. Make sure to create long, complex passwords for every account, without any personal identifiers like your name, birthday, or address.

Then, if you haven’t already, activate two-factor or multi-factor authentication (2FA or MFA), ideally by using an authenticator app like Authy or Google Authenticator. This way, even if scammers have access to your phone number, they won’t be able to bypass 2FA codes sent via SMS.

4. Force log out any accounts that are open on your phone

If you’re unable to change your account passwords or know that there are accounts logged in on your phone, you’ll want to try to force these accounts to log out. 

For example, to sign out of Outlook and other Microsoft apps:

• Log in to your Microsoft Account on another device.
• Select Security and then Advanced Security Options.
• Choose Sign Me Out.

Or, to sign out of Facebook:

• Sign in to your Facebook account, and go to your mobile settings.
• Click on Lost your phone? and then select Log Out on Phone. 

💡 Related: Social Media Security: How To Secure Your Social Profiles →

5. Report the theft to your provider (and lock your SIM)

While your phone is in their possession, thieves can use up all of your cellular data, make out-of-country calls, or open new phone lines. If they don’t manage to crack your passcode, they can transfer your SIM card to a different device, sending all of your calls, texts, and other messages straight to them.

Reach out to your service provider to lock down your SIM and warn them to keep an eye out for signs of fraud on your account.

Here’s what to do:

• AT&T users: Report stolen phones online at att.com/suspend. 
• T-Mobile users: Call 1-800-937-8997.
• Verizon users: Call 1-800-922-0204.

6. Cancel any linked credit cards or financial accounts

Scammers can use your Apple or Google Pay accounts without having to provide proof of ID. Even if you don’t see any fraudulent transactions in the first 24 hours, consider canceling your cards and having new ones issued.

Log in to your online banking account to cancel your card, or call your bank’s official support number to speak with a representative. You should also remove stored credit card information from any other mobile-accessible accounts.

7. Warn your friends and family about the theft

Scammers may use your phone to target friends, family members, or other contacts who will think it’s you. For example, fraudsters may claim to be in trouble and send text messages asking your loved ones to send money (to an account controlled by the scammers). 

Scammers may even review your old texts and social media DMs to mimic your style and tone, or pull photos from your library to make conversations seem more realistic.

It’s a good idea to let close contacts know your phone’s been stolen. Advise them to block your phone number and delete messages and emails from you until you regain control over your device.

💡 Related: What Is the Grandparent Scam? How To Identify and Avoid It →

8. File a police report (and request an identity theft affidavit)

The police most likely won’t engage with locating a stolen phone. But a police report is necessary for disputing fraudulent charges and closing accounts that scammers open in your name. 

You can file a report at your local police department. Provide as much information as you can about how your phone was stolen or where you think you lost it. 

If you already suspect fraud, get copies of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. Highlight unauthorized activity, and share it with the police.

In some cases, a police report may not be enough evidence for creditors. They may want you to officially attest to your identity theft, via a voluntary ID Theft Affidavit. You can request an affidavit from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov.

9. Freeze your credit file with all three major bureaus

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report, making it harder for scammers to open new lines of credit under your name — even if they have your Social Security number (SSN) and other personal information. 

To initiate a freeze, contact each of the three credit bureaus individually:

Each bureau will provide a PIN code upon freezing your account. If you plan to apply for a loan or rent an apartment, you’ll need to use that PIN to unfreeze and refreeze your credit.

💡 Related: How To Get 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring →

10. Remotely erase your phone’s data

The faster you wipe your device, the less time scammers have to download your personal files.

• To erase your iPhone’s data: Log in to your iCloud account and go to Find Devices. Find the device you want to wipe, and tap on Erase This Device.
• To erase your Android device’s data: Go to android.com/find and sign in to your account. If Google can find your device, you’ll get an approximate location and a prompt to lock and erase your phone.

If you’re still having trouble, contact your wireless carrier — they may be able to help. Beware that once you remove your phone’s data, it can be tough to recover. Regularly backing up your device to iCloud and Google One can prevent important data loss.

💡 Related: 15 Facebook Scams You Didn't Know About (Until Now) →

11. Check your insurance coverage

Now that your sensitive accounts and information are secure, it’s time to recover from the loss.

If you have third-party phone insurance, it may cover the cost of your stolen or lost phone. You’ll likely need some key information to submit, including your iPhone or Android phone’s make, model, serial number, and IMEI number. You may also need to share your police report. 

Here’s how to file a claim for three popular providers:

• AppleCare+: File online. Do not remove your iPhone from “Find My” (or your Apple ID) until your claim has been approved.
• T-Mobile 360 Protection: File online. To submit, you’ll need to know your deductible payment, which you can check here.‍
• Asurion: File online. Click on your carrier to start the process.

12. Remove lost devices from your Google or Apple account

Disconnecting your device from your cloud account decreases the chances that fraudsters can view, download, or edit your data. 

For iOS users:

• Log in to iCloud.com.
• Find your lost or stolen device.
• Click on Remove This Device.

You can also remove your iPhone or iPad from your trusted devices list by signing in to your Apple ID account. However, don’t do this if you’ve filed an iPhone “Theft and Loss” claim — staff will use it for their investigation.

For Android users:

• Log in to your Google Account.
• Under Security, select Your devices.
• Click on Manage devices, and then select the lost device.
• Select Sign out and follow the prompts.

💡 Related: Is Your Google Account Hacked? How To Tell and What To Do →

13. Monitor your identity and finances for fraud

Scammers can combine data they find on your phone with stolen driver’s license information or other data leaked on the Dark Web, opening the door to identity theft.

Identity theft can have a devastating impact on your daily life, from depleting your bank accounts to ruining your credit to false warrants issued for your arrest. 

After an incident, look for signs that someone is using your identity, including: 

• Unexpected withdrawals or purchases on your bank statements
• A sudden drop in your credit score, or unfamiliar information on your credit reports
• Missing mail or letters from debt collectors that you don’t recognize
• An increase in spam calls and texts
• Signs that your phone has been hacked, such as poor battery life or strange apps
• Warnings from your identity theft protection app

How To Secure Your Phone If It Goes Missing Again

While it’s impossible to guarantee that your phone won’t be stolen or go missing again, a few proactive steps can help minimize the damage if you become a repeat victim. 

As soon as you get a replacement device, make sure to take these steps: 

• Activate your new phone’s Find My app. On an iPhone, open Settings, tap on your name, and then toggle on Find My iPhone. On an Android phone, go to Settings, tap on Security, and then turn on Find My Device. If you have a Galaxy phone, download SmartThings find (formerly Samsung Find My Mobile) in the Google Play store.
• Set up regular backups. Scheduling recurring backups preserves valuable personal photos and other data that could be wiped during a scam. On an iPhone, you can automatically back up your phone by toggling Back Up This iPhone in Settings. Android users can adjust data backup settings in the Google One app.
• Secure your accounts with strong passwords. Ideally, every account should have a unique (and complex) password. To help remember these, it’s a good idea to store your credentials in a secure password manager like Identity Guard’s ID Vault.
• Activate 2FA. For the best level of 2FA protection, use an authenticator app; or secure your accounts by using biometric factors, like your Face ID.
• Take note of your device’s serial number. You should also record your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which is standard across the industry. Both numbers can help cops identify your phone in the field and should be included in your police report. To find those numbers, head to the General section of your phone Settings, and then click on About.

The Bottom Line: Act Fast To Recover a Stolen Phone

Scammers can do serious damage to your credit, identity, and reputation by accessing your lost or stolen phone. And while taking security precautions can minimize potential damage, it doesn’t offer end-to-end identity protection.

That’s why you need an always-on monitoring system like Identity Guard. Identity Guard’s award-winning identity theft monitoring, Dark Web scanning, and credit protection alert you to suspicious activity in near real-time, helping you lock down your online identity and safeguard your finances from fraudsters.

Get protection against identity theft and fraud. Save 33% on Identity Guard today.