Mobile phone lost - what to do?

If your cell phone has been stolen or you have lost it, you have to act quickly so that the damage does not increase.

Step 1: If the phone is lost, have the SIM card blocked

If you find that your smartphone is lost or stolen, that's annoying enough. But so that the finder or the thief does not make calls or send SMS at your expense, you have to act quickly.

• Contact your mobile operator immediately by phone and have the SIM card blocked. With many providers you can do this online and at the same time order a new SIM.
• Some providers will hand you a new SIM card in the shop. Activation of the new SIM can take up to 24 hours.

Step 2: change all passwords

For modern smartphones there is software with which you can delete the data remotely. If you have not installed such software, you should note the following:

• Your passwords are stored in many apps, for example on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon or eBay. Change all passwords immediately. If the thief or finder opens Facebook, for example, he cannot spy on your messages or photos because he is asked to enter the password.
• Be sure to change your email passwords so that the current owner of your cell phone cannot send emails on your behalf. If you are using an iPhone, you should also change your iCloud password. As an Android user, your Google password is probably the most important.

Step 3: locate your smartphone and delete it remotely

With iOS and Android smartphones, you can locate your cell phone or even delete data remotely.

• You can locate your lost iPhone using "Find my iPhone" (instructions) or delete it remotely. The prerequisite is that you have activated the function beforehand.
• If you are using an Android smartphone, you must have taken security precautions before theft or loss or activated the function in the Android device manager. With the free "Prey Anti-Theft" app you can locate or delete your smartphone.
• If you've lost your Windows Phone, you can use Microsoft's location service.

We have put together further advice for a lost cell phone here. In this article you will also read more tips on smartphone location.