Unfortunately, no one can completely prevent loss or theft. Bad things sometimes happen. That said, we’ve come up with several steps you can take to reduce the chances of having your device – along with the personal data stored within it – lost or stolen. This section also includes information for reporting and replacing a lost or stolen device.
Help protect your device by following these simple suggestions:
Always be aware of your surrounding environment:
- Use your phone discreetly if you feel you are in an unsafe area.
- Never leave your phone unattended or visible in your parked car.
- Take extra care during times when you could be distracted, such as when checking out at the store, when using public transportation, when going through airport security or when approached by a stranger on the street.
Make sure you document your device’s information, including make and model, serial number, and its unique identification number (the MEID or IMEI).
Install and update anti-theft software, which can be downloaded from your phone’s app store.
Apps are available that will locate your device from any computer, lock your device to restrict access and sound an alarm to help you locate it.
For most Android devices, Verizon Wireless offers a Mobile Security application that provides these and other features.
Use passwords to protect your data:
Verizon suggests adding a passcode, password or security swipe pattern to protect the personal information on your phone or tablet. You can do this through the Settings menu. Some of the latest models also offer fingerprint and/or face recognition to lock and unlock the device.
If using a password, create a password that is easy to remember but difficult for anyone else to guess. Don’t create passwords that contain:
- Basic words that would be easy to guess, like ‘password’ or ‘verizon’
- Simple keyboard patterns like ‘qwerty,’ ‘111111’ or ‘123456’
- Names of significant others, children, pets, sports teams, hobbies, etc.
- Any form of your first or last name, birth date, license plate number, telephone number, etc.
- Titles of popular movies, books or songs
And always practice good password security:
- Never share your passwords with anyone, especially over the phone or through email.
- If you must write your passwords down, don’t leave them where someone could discover them.
- Don’t re-use passwords across different websites or devices.