Dealing with loss, phone loss with Aaran, Doug, and Josh. – SWN #533
Are you walking around with a phone in your hand? Probably, are you ready for the day when it gets grabbed and disappears. Aaran, Doug, and Josh talk about phone strategies on this episode of the Security Weekly News.
Doug White
Aaran Leyland
- 1. Intro + Universal Setup (For All Smartphones)
Goal: Secure your phone before anything happens. These steps apply to both iPhone and Android.
✅ Record Your IMEI
Dial *#06# on your phone. Write down the IMEI (your phone’s unique ID). Or find it in Settings → About Phone (iPhone: Settings → General → About). Store it somewhere safe (not just on your phone). You’ll need it if stolen.
✅ Enable “Find My” Tracking
iPhone: Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone → Turn ON.
Enable Find My network and Send Last Location.
Android: Settings → Security → Find My Device → Turn ON.
Enable Offline finding or Find My Device Network if available.
Test it: Visit icloud.com/find (iPhone) or android.com/find (Android) on a computer.
✅ Use a Strong Screen Lock
Minimum: 6-digit PIN (better: alphanumeric). Avoid easy PINs (123456, birth year). Enable biometrics (Face ID, fingerprint) for convenience. Pro tip: Avoid Smart Lock “Trusted Places” on Android; avoid “Unlock with Apple Watch” unless needed.
✅ Tighten Lock Screen Access
iPhone: Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Allow Access When Locked → Turn OFF Control Center, Wallet, USB Accessories. Android: Settings → Lock Screen/Security → Disable quick toggles on lock screen. Enable “Require PIN to power off” if available. Hide sensitive notifications:
iPhone: Settings → Notifications → Show Previews → When Unlocked. Android: Settings → Notifications → Hide sensitive content.
✅ Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Apple ID: Settings → [Your Name] → Password & Security → 2FA ON. Google: myaccount.google.com/security → 2-Step Verification ON. Do the same for email, banking, social media.
✅ Set a SIM PIN
Locks your SIM so it can’t be used in another phone. iPhone: Settings → Cellular → SIM PIN → Toggle ON → Change PIN. Android: Settings → Security → SIM card lock → Enable → Change PIN. Works for eSIM too.
✅ Consider eSIM
Harder to remove than physical SIM. Ask your carrier to switch to eSIM. Still set a SIM PIN.
✅ Back Up Your Data
iPhone: Enable iCloud Backup. Android: Enable Google Backup. Also back up photos to cloud (Google Photos, iCloud Photos).
- 2. iPhone Essentials (Must-Do Security Settings)
Goal: Maximize iPhone security with built-in features.
✅ Enable Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3+)
Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Stolen Device Protection → ON. Set Security Delay to Always (best) or When Away from Familiar Locations. Adds 1-hour delay for critical changes when away from trusted places.
✅ Prepare for Lost Mode
Know how to access Find My via iCloud.com or another Apple device. Lost Mode locks phone, shows message, suspends Apple Pay. Erase iPhone only if absolutely necessary (irreversible).
✅ Double-Check Lock Screen Restrictions
Turn OFF Control Center, Wallet, USB Accessories under Allow When Locked. Consider disabling Notification Center and Siri on lock screen.
✅ Use Face ID/Touch ID Inside Apps
Enable biometric lock in banking apps, WhatsApp, Notes, etc.
✅ Keep iOS Updated
Security features like Stolen Device Protection come via updates.
- 3. iPhone Advanced Automations (Optional)
Goal: Extra security tricks using Shortcuts app.
???? Auto-Lock Sensitive Apps
Shortcuts → Automation → App → Select apps → Action: Lock Screen. Turns screen off when opening banking/password apps.
???? Back Tap Panic Button
Shortcuts: Create “Panic Lockdown” (Lock Screen + Flashlight + Loud Sound). Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap → Assign shortcut.
???? SMS Triggered Actions
Automation: When message contains “LOST” → Actions: Send Location, Play Sound. Limited by iOS security (may need confirmation).
- 4. Android Essentials (Must-Do Security Settings)
Goal: Lock down Android with built-in tools.
✅ Enable Find My Device & Offline Finding
Settings → Security → Find My Device → ON. Enable “Find My Device Network” if available.
✅ Lock Screen & Notification Security
Hide sensitive notifications: Settings → Notifications → Hide sensitive content. Enable “Lock network and security” (Samsung) or similar. Require PIN to power off if available.
✅ App Lock / Secure Folder
Samsung: Use Secure Folder. Xiaomi/OnePlus: Built-in App Lock. Or use trusted third-party app (AppLock, Norton App Lock).
✅ SIM PIN & eSIM
Settings → Security → SIM card lock → Enable → Change PIN. Do this for all SIMs (physical and eSIM).
✅ Update & Use Play Protect
Keep Android OS updated. Play Store → Profile → Play Protect → ON.
- 5. Android Advanced Automations (Optional)
Goal: Use Tasker or MacroDroid for anti-theft actions.
???? SMS Trigger Example (Tasker/MacroDroid)
Trigger: SMS with keyword “LOST123”. Actions:
Max volume Flashlight ON Send GPS location via SMS Take photo (front/rear) Play loud alarm Lock device
???? SIM Change Detection
Trigger: SIM changed → Send alert + location. Works best on MacroDroid (built-in trigger).
???? Intruder Selfie
Use apps like Lockwatch or Third Eye to email photo after failed unlock attempts.
- 6. Emergency Steps if Your Phone Is Stolen
Act fast – first few minutes matter.
✅ Lock & Locate
iPhone: icloud.com/find → Lost Mode → Lock + message + suspend Apple Pay. Android: android.com/find → Secure Device → Lock + message.
✅ Call Your Carrier
Suspend SIM/eSIM immediately. Ask to blacklist IMEI (blocks phone on networks).
✅ Change Passwords
Apple ID / Google account first. Then email, banking, payment apps. Use “log out of all devices” where possible.
✅ File Police Report
Give IMEI, last known location, and crime details. Get reference number for insurance.
✅ Stay Safe
Do NOT confront thieves. Share location info only with police.
- 7. Pro Tips & Final Thoughts
Register phone on Immobilise.com (UK) or similar property databases. Consider phone insurance (check bank perks). Use a discreet case in high-risk areas. Avoid public Wi-Fi without VPN. Keep backups current. Goal: Make your stolen phone useless to thieves and protect your data.
- What to do if your phone is lost or stolen: practical steps to restore peace of mind
• “IMEI now. *#06#—write it down off device.” • “Find My ON – iPhone and Android. Test it at icloud.com/find or android.com/find.” • “Strong passcode + biometrics. Avoid birthdays.” • “Lock the lock screen controls.” • “2FA everywhere.” • “SIM PIN – physical SIM and eSIM.” • “Backups on.” • “iPhone: Stolen Device Protection ON; know Lost Mode.” • “Android: Find My Device Network; Secure Folder/App Lock.” • “Emergency: Lock & locate; carrier kill SIM; IMEI blacklist; change passwords; police report; don’t chase.” • “Scams: Fake ‘Find My’, extortion texts. Don’t click, don’t reply. Forward spam (7726; KSA 330330). Keep Lost Mode ON.”
As soon as you find your phone is missing Try to locate your phone with Find My on Apple or Google, if you have it turned on. You can use a browser on a computer, tablet or even a friend’s phone.
Remotely lock your phone using Find My and mark it as lost, which helps protect your data, blocks the use of Apple or Google Pay and can leave a message on the screen for anyone who finds it. You can also remotely erase your phone from here too.
Contact your network provider and block your sim to stop thieves running up bills. Also ask it to check for any new “charge to bill” activity and to disable the feature.
Contact your credit card company for any cards you have stored on your phone and disable Apple or Google Pay.
Report the theft to the police and give them your phone’s IMEI number, which may be on the box, in your Apple or Google account or their Find My services.
Contact your insurance company if you have phone cover.
Change your passwords for important accounts. Start with your email account so that thieves can’t gain access to your other accounts through password resets.
Remove your phone from your accounts and services, which will log it out and stop thieves accessing saved details.
When you get a new phone, get back your old one, or before something goes wrong, there are some steps you can take to help if you lose it again:
Set a strong pin, a short screen lock time out and turn on biometric fingerprint or face scanners to help keep thieves out of your phone.
Turn on Find My on your phone in settings, which allows you to locate it, lock it or erase it remotely via a web browser or another device.
Turn on Stolen Device Protection in settings on an iPhone, which blocks access to passwords, pins and credit cards without your face or fingerprint.
Turn on Theft Protection in Google settings on Android, which locks your phone when it detects it has been snatched, enables remote locking, locks the phone if it goes offline and prevents access to passwords, pins and other settings without your face or fingerprint.
Set a sim pin in your phone’s settings, which stops thieves being able to use your phone account by transferring the sim or esim to another phone.
Take note of your phone’s IMEI (serial) number – dial *#06# to see it.
Use biometrics for any and all banking and other sensitive apps that support them to block access for anyone other than you.
Disable access to quick settings, Siri or Google Assistant/Gemini and notifications when your phone is locked. This prevents thieves reading two-step codes, turning off internet access, making calls or accessing data.
Back up your phone’s data and settings using iCloud on an iPhone or Google Drive on an Android phone.
Back up your photos to the cloud using iCloud Photos, Google Photos, Amazon Photos or other service.
