What Can Thieves Do with a Stolen Phone? (2024)

Table of Contents

Access personal information Use your phone for illegal activities Sell your phone Use it to commit identity theft Install malware

What Can Thieves Do with a Stolen Phone? (1)

Access personal information

If a thief has access to your phone, they can potentially access personal information, such as your contacts, email, and social media accounts. They can also use the information to impersonate you and commit fraud.

Use your phone for illegal activities

A thief may use your stolen phone for illegal activities, such as making unauthorized calls or sending spam messages. This could result in charges on your account, or even legal trouble.

Sell your phone

A thief may sell your stolen phone to someone else, or they may use it themselves. This can be particularly problematic if you store sensitive information on your phone, as it can put that information at risk of being accessed by someone else.

Use it to commit identity theft

A thief may use your stolen phone to commit identity theft, by accessing your bank

information or other sensitive data. They can then use this information to make fraudulent purchases or steal your identity.

Install malware

A thief may install malware on your phone, which can be used to steal personal

information, track your location, or access your contacts and social media accounts.

To protect your personal information, it's important to take steps to secure your phone. For example, use a strong passcode or biometric protection, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, to prevent unauthorized access to your phone. Additionally, avoid storing sensitive information on your phone, and keep software up to date to reduce the risk of hacking. Consider using a Prox PRD® phone reminder device to get reliable phone separation alerts at around 50 feet to 150 feet before you forget and leave your phone behind where it can be lost or stolen.