How to find a phone on the street. How to find a lost phone

Today we will look at:

Losing a mobile phone can happen at any time outside the home. It could be stolen, it could fall out of your pocket - there are many reasons. Smartphone users are wondering, is it possible to find a lost phone? Let's figure it out.

You can immediately give an answer - you can find it, but only under certain conditions. And there are several ways to do this.

Call your number

First, and the simplest way- call your own number. Perhaps the person who finds it will be honest and decide to give it away, even for a reward. If it is impossible to get through, most likely the person has already thrown away the SIM card. But you can still send an SMS asking to return the phone for a monetary reward. Perhaps the device was simply discharged or there was another reason for the temporary shutdown. Once turned on, the finder can read the SMS and become interested in barter. Although, let's face the harsh truth - the chance is very small.

Geolocation

This method is suitable if geolocation is enabled on your phone and Mobile Internet. You can find your phone using apps, but as a rule they are installed before they are lost, so to speak, “just in case.” But what to do if the phone has already been lost, and the owner did not bother to install such applications in advance?

For Android devices there is an official Android app Device Manager, which you can download by finding it there by name. Using it, you can find a lost smartphone on a city map, block it, turn on a detection call (in case it is nearby), and delete personal data so that another person cannot use it.

For iPhone, you need to sign in to your iCloud account, then click Find My iPhone. Then the application will display all connected and synchronized devices, including their location. Once again, it is worth noting that the phone detection feature must be enabled in advance. To send a message to your phone, play a melody, lock the device, or delete all data from it remotely, you need to click on the information icon located on the black location panel.

If you managed to obtain data about the location of the device through the applications, you can contact the police with the address, where they will help you recover the loss.

Contact the operator

Contact your operator. They can find a mobile device using a SIM card, since they have certain rights and capabilities to do this. True, you can often get a refusal, and your mobile phone must be turned on. If you are determined to find a phone through operators, you need the following:

• collect all the evidence that you are the owner of the lost phone: receipt, warranty card and other documentation received upon purchase. Even if there is no receipt and warranty card, these documents can be restored by contacting the supplier. By providing your passport details and the account number from which the payment was made (for non-cash payments), you can easily obtain the necessary documents;
• contact the police and file a report of theft;
• contact your telecom operator, provide him with copies of the police report, documents for the phone and ask for help in finding the device. And don’t forget to block the account, otherwise a large amount of money may disappear from your balance.

Is it possible to find a phone by IMEI?

Quite a popular question that concerns many people who have lost their phone. Some sites say it is possible, while others say it is not. In general, this is a rather dubious search method, since for other people it is usually a way to profit from the victims. Surely there have indeed been cases of phone detection by IMEI, but for the most part all sites that supposedly provide database searches (often paid) are just a scam. And, unfortunately, you can only find sites that actually work through trial and error. Is it worth it?

We have already looked at the issue in more detail, and we are still skeptical.

Don't forget that the sooner you start your search, the better your chances. The turned on phone with a SIM card plays practically key role in search, and attackers know it. And don’t waste your mobile phone’s batteries, trying to save charge by turning off geolocation and mobile Internet. This could come in very handy someday.

Losing a mobile phone becomes a real problem - we cannot get in touch with the necessary contacts or clients, we cannot access the Internet or pay public utilities using electronic payment systems. How to find lost phone And what you need to do? In our age of advanced information and communication technologies the probability of finding a lost phone is quite high, so you need to use everything available methods search.

Current ways to find lost phones

Lost my phone - how to find it? These are the questions people turn to Internet search engines. And the point here is not so much the high cost of the device itself, but the information stored in it. The value comes from contacts, photos, videos, passwords saved in the browser and applications, linked to phone number bank cards and much more.

Undoubtedly, a lot can be recovered, but first you should look for the lost handset. How can you find a lost phone? Let's discuss the main methods:

• Go around the places where you were before the loss was discovered;
• Once again, “rummage” through the pockets of your clothes;
• Call your number from another phone - it is possible that the lost handset is somewhere nearby;
• Use coordinate determination (may not be available on all phones).

Any method can give a positive result (but it may not give at all).

Search in places of last stay

A modern person almost never parts with his mobile phone, so from the moment of loss to the moment of discovery of the loss, a maximum of 20-30 minutes passes (usually less). Remember what you were doing a few minutes ago, where you were, who they talked to on the phone and where they took him after the last call.

It is quite possible that you forgot it on the store counter - finding a lost phone here is more than possible. If you just got out of your car, go back - your phone is probably in the car or lying under it (fell out of your pocket). You should also return to your workplace; maybe the “tube” is on the desktop. If your last place of stay was a bus stop filled with people, then you can, in principle, not return there - 99.9% that there will be no telephone there.

If your last place was a park or a forest edge, then it is quite possible that the phone fell out of your pocket and is lying somewhere in the grass - return to your resting place, call your number from someone else’s phone and examine the area.

Never call your phone away from the location of the suspected loss. First return to this place and only then start calling. Otherwise, you will attract the attention of strangers who may take the found phone for themselves. But the best way to block a number is by calling hotline and continue your search without unnecessary calls.

Search by pockets

How to find cellular telephone, if you lost it and can’t find it? The easiest way is to go through your pockets again. If the phone is small, then it can easily hide in the pockets of your jacket or even fall under an accidentally torn lining. Another place of suspected loss is a large daily bag with a bunch of things. This is where your mobile phone can get lost (relevant for women).

Search by number

How to find a phone number and is it even possible? It's certainly possible. But only if your phone is stolen and you file a statement with the police. If the case is really serious, then the phone will most likely be found. But most often the case is left without progress, since the police are extremely reluctant to look for stolen phones.

As for lost handsets, no one will look for them at all - whatever one may say, this is the problem of the subscriber himself (the police are not a lost and found office). By the way, Investigators look for stolen phones by IMEI, not by number. You can change the number, but the IMEI will remain - then the police will start shaking the person who installed his SIM card in the stolen phone. They can also determine the location of the phone, but not by satellite, but by geolocation using cellular networks.

Operators provide information about the location of the phone you are looking for. cellular communication upon appropriate request from law enforcement agencies. You will not be able to submit such a request on your own.

Search by satellite

You can find a lost phone using satellite and cellular network coordinates. To do this, you must first install a tracking program on your device, which will continuously monitor the coordinates of the device. The search for lost devices is carried out via the Internet, using services belonging to program developers. You can also use them to remotely lock the device..

You need to remember that keeping the GPS receiver in your mobile phone turned on is not profitable - the battery drains quickly. Therefore, most often the search is carried out using the coordinates of cellular networks. For a successful search, your lost phone must be connected to the Internet. If your phone is switched off, it will be much more difficult to find it.

Attentiveness and careful attitude to your belongings allows you to save nerves and money. Less careful users have to wonder what to do if lost my phone? The device is not the cheapest, but it also contains a colossal amount of personal information. The loss of even a few contacts can be a serious problem, let alone the loss of absolutely all numbers.

A turning point in the history of mobile phones

Presentation first iPhone can be considered the beginning new era, because the idea of ​​a mobile phone changed once and for all after it. Although the bar was set high, Apple's competitors immediately tried to take it to new heights. Whether they succeeded or not is another question, but from that moment they entered the mobile phone market smartphones.

The versatility of these devices helped to gain a significant percentage of total sales in the first year.

Today you can still meet lovers of the classics; there are probably some of them in your circle of friends. But let's face it, everyone only has a few of these acquaintances, sometimes only one. And this is for tens or even hundreds of users, not too high percentage .

At first, the price of smartphones was a deterrent, but thanks to technological progress and the pace of sales, prices began to decline from day one.

What's good about new phones?

Smartphones are loved by their users for such quality:

• Multifunctionality. Using a phone, you can cope with any task, often it is not inferior in its capabilities to a laptop or personal computer.
• Mobility. Even in the worst conditions, the battery will last all day. In the absence of a constant power source, this is a very pleasant bonus that other devices cannot boast of.
• Opportunity Internet access at any point globe. Of course, this may sound like an exaggeration, because in Somalia this possibility was most likely not tested.
• Small dimensions. Combined with the low weight, this is another advantage. Can be carried and used in any situation without any problems.
• Low price. Production rates are increasing scientific and technical progress does not stand still. What could have cost an annual salary ten years ago can now be purchased by saving the required amount in a month or two.

Now there may be statements that the majority uses a smartphone only to sit on VK and watch funny video. At the same time, without paying attention special attention to its full potential.

There is some truth in this statement, because everyone buys a device for their own purposes. And it is clear that young people are more interested in entertainment than anything else.

How to find a lost Android phone through a computer?

But in one wonderful moment the fun may end. When you find that your phone is not in your pocket, it is not in your bag or in other usual places. There are usually two reasons for such a disappearance - loss and theft. In the first case, you can only blame yourself for your inattention and carelessness.

But tears won’t help the matter; you need to search and understand that the person who found the device may not want to return it to you. Then the situation becomes similar to the second option, to a banal theft. In any case, you should always be consistent in your actions, it is very important to maintain a cool head.

If you have lost your phone onAndroid:

1. Don't panic, finding the device is not that difficult.
2. Take advantage Android Device Manager to determine the location of the phone.
3. This service from Google has a user-friendly interface and allows you to remotely control your device.
4. Just log into your Google account and the location of your smartphone will immediately appear on the map.
5. Do you think this is not enough? Then you can make the phone ring for 5 minutes, delete all your personal data, or block it in a few clicks.
6. The service is absolutely free, the main thing is that the phone is linked to the account.

How to block your phone if you lose it?

Locking mechanism depends on what kind of phone you have:

The situation is similar with other operating systems. One universal method no, because smartphones different manufacturers, and the OS has different functionality.

Usually there is built-in locking, but you can download applications specially designed for these needs. Their functionality is a little wider, but information about the location of your device will have to be provided to third parties.

How to return a stolen phone?

Having discovered that your smartphone is missing, take a number of measures:

• Try to find the phone on one's own by calling him.
• If someone answered, please try convince the person to return you the device if he found it. Reward helps to find common ground.
• If the call doesn't work, we can assume that they are not going to return the smartphone to you.
• Using one of the described mechanisms, try locate your phone, block it and delete all personal data. If you are concerned about their safety.
• Go to the nearest police station to to write an application. It is advisable to have any documentation for your phone with you - receipts, technical passport.
• Wait for the results, the authorities already have a well-functioning scheme. They will not want to fulfill their direct responsibilities - yes supervisory authorities, with which you can influence the process.

There is no single correct answer to the question “what to do if you lost your phone.” Must be accepted whole line measures, step by step. So that the situation ends in your favor.

Video about losing your phone

In this video, there is a lesson in which Kirill tells how to find a lost phone on operating system"android":

I’ll look at a pressing question today: how to find a lost Android phone, and in very cool and cool ways.

All smartphones work via Android or iOS. The iOS security system is known to everyone and is carried out using special program, which allows you to track and find your phone. But what should Android owners do? Is there protection here and is it possible to find a lost phone? Let's figure it out further.

How to find a lost android phone when the phone is lost

Unfortunately, situations often occur when a phone is stolen or lost, and the question arises of how to find a lost Android phone. Many of you will immediately go to the nearest police station with a statement, but at the same time you know that the possibility of a positive result is minimal.

Now I will tell you about reliable and effective ways finding a smartphone rather than going to the authorities. In order for you to be able to find a smartphone and track its location, complex actions are not required. However, you must have a Google account. If your data is not entered into the phone, you will not be able to find it.

You need to independently activate the item “ Remote control", in other words, set all parameters. To do this, go to “My location” in the smartphone settings and check the “Allow tracking coordinates” box.

As you can see, everything is easy and simple. Google takes the issue of protecting personal information very seriously, so by checking this box, your smartphone will always be connected in case of loss.

How to search via computer

There is an Android Device Manager service specifically for searching through a computer, but if the gadget is turned off or all settings have been reset, then the capabilities are not so functional. However, no one claimed that thieves would be masters of this business, did they? To search for a device using this method, you must do the following on your computer:

• Follow the special remote control link https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager.
• Enter your username and password, and then log into your account. If you don’t have an account yet, be sure to create one, as it is very useful and necessary (after creation, also log into your account via your smartphone).
• Then everything happens automatically, and you will see a window with the following information.

As you can see in the example, here you can remotely block your smartphone through your computer by pressing the appropriate button. You can also make a call or clear all data from the device’s memory.

If your phone is lost at home

Due to forgetfulness or his own absent-mindedness, a person can easily lose his phone at home. In this case, you can call yourself using this program via the Internet.

Your phone will ring within a few minutes, and this is completely independent of the set mode. This way, even when on silent, the phone will ring loudly and you can easily find it.

Send a message to a lost or stolen phone

If you have lost a gadget, and the person who found it wants to return it to the owner, because even in our time there are responsible people among us, then this can be contributed to. You can send a message to the number that will appear on the screen of your lost smartphone. We use the same service and the “Configure data blocking and deletion” button.

In the window that appears, you can do the following:

• Enter a password with which you can lock the device.
• Write a message, after reading which the person will return the mobile phone.

If it is not possible to return the gadget, then it is recommended to protect your personal data. To do this, click the “Clear” button. In this case, everything will be deleted and the phone will go to standard factory settings.

Additional programs

Besides remote access There are many other programs with similar functionality. The best of them is Lost Android. It is installed on the phone in the same way as other programs, that is, using the Play Market.

Helpful tip: after installation, the program will appear as Personal Notes with the appearance of a regular notebook. This is done so that thieves do not suspect anything. So don't worry if you don't find this program as recorded in the Market.

After running this program, give it administrator rights. To do this, press the appropriate button. How to do this can be seen from the screenshot below.

Then go to the official website of the application and log in again via Google. Enter your username and password, and then log into your account. All available functions are listed there.

These two methods I listed, through Google and the program, allow you to find even a turned off smartphone. This is achieved by the fact that Google services record the moment when the device was turned on last time, and location accordingly.

Find a phone by imei (via satellite) and by SIM card (by mobile phone number)

Here I hasten to disappoint, none of these methods will give results even through a computer using a phone number. Only law enforcement agencies, and even then the most advanced ones, can track the imei number via a computer. Those in the provinces may not rely on this method.

Of course, through a computer using a SIM card, you can determine extremely vague data like “Your phone is located in the city of Ivanovo.” Modern search services will not provide correct and accurate information; only the police have such technologies.

By phone number, also unlikely. Because as soon as they find the phone and want to keep it, they immediately throw away the SIM card, which makes tracking more difficult. You can’t even find it through the computer if it’s turned on (phone), mobile operators They don’t bother themselves with such actions, although they are obliged to.

Do not waste time on these methods, but more about them below, at the end of the article.

Protection with avast! Anti-Theft for Android

In case of loss, you can pre-set your phone. To do this, I found a very interesting program that caught my attention. Here's what to do:

• Download avast antivirus! Mobile Security and open it.
• Go to the settings menu and check the “PIN code protection” and “Deletion protection” checkboxes. If a person detects an antivirus, he will not be able to get rid of it until he enters the PIN code.
• Then create an avast account.
• Let's go to official service antivirus and click Create Account Now, set the email and enter the password.

From now on, your phone is protected.

Setting up the avast! Anti-Theft in the gadget

The advanced settings menu in this program provides the following functions:

1. Protective, that is, what needs to be done to the phone if it is lost. You can lock the gadget, set an alarm, block access to settings, and notify about low battery charge.
2. Blocking text, information deletion and GPS tracking. Here you can enter text that will be displayed on the phone screen. Your device is now completely protected.

Last method

If the previous methods did not produce results for one reason or another, for example, you forgot the login and password for your Google account or did not create an account at all, then there is one more, as they say, as a last resort.

It is impossible to find your smartphone using your phone number. But you, as a victim, can come to the police station, write a statement and attach evidence that this is really your phone. Among them are the following:

• Warranty card.
• Purchase receipt.
• Gadget box.
• IMEI code.

Advice for those who have not yet lost their phone: be sure to write down your IMEI code. You can find it out using the command *#06#.

Based on the previous text, finding a phone by imei address is not very easy, more precisely, it is 0.5%, as statistics show, and less every year. But if you decide to go with this method, then I don’t envy you, it’s very difficult, the only worthwhile means is the police.

Finally

That's all, dear friends! I have listed the most reliable methods for finding a stolen phone. In conclusion, I want to give two main and useful tips:

1. If possible, turn on the Internet on your smartphone to access data in case of loss.
2. Set a screen lock. This is done like this: security - encrypt the device - set the lock type - password or pattern.

I hope my advice will be useful to you and you will find the answer in the article to the question of how to find a lost Android phone, although it is better not to encounter this situation at all. Subscribe to my blog, leave comments and share the link on social networks.

All Cell phones have one unpleasant property - getting lost. In addition, they are sometimes stolen. And, unfortunately, nothing can be done about this. Until recently, “sowing” an Android device outside the home meant parting with it forever without hope of return, because, unlike iOS, there were no search functions on Android. Today they exist, which means that the chances of returning the lost items are no longer zero. And it's time for us to get to know them.

Let's talk about how to find a lost phone on Android through Google and using third-party applications and services.

If a mobile gadget is lost, the functions of modern versions of Android allow you not only to determine its location using cell towers and satellites, but also to block it remotely. And if there is no hope of return (it was stolen), erase the owner’s personal data.

To do this, the following conditions must be met:

• The device must be turned on (it is not necessary that your SIM card is in it).
• It must be linked to your Google account.
• The “Remote Control” function should work on it.
• The transmission of geodata must be activated on it and Internet access must be enabled.
• The phone must be identified in Google Play.

If you have turned off the location setting function (geodata transfer) to save battery power, you will not have a chance to find your lost or stolen phone. Searching via satellite does consume a lot of energy, but there is no need to use it in the city. Enable device location by cell towers - this option is more economical.

How to enable geodata transfer on Android:

• Launch the Settings app.
• In the Personal menu, tap Location Services.
• Select the checkbox for the search method “By network coordinates”.

How to find out which devices are connected to your Google Account:

• Open any browser (on a PC or mobile device, it doesn’t matter), go to Google.com and log in with your account.
• Open the recently used devices page. The phone you are looking for should be in this list.

How to enable remote device control on Android:

• Launch "Options" (Settings).
• Tap "Protection" (Security) in the "Personal" menu.
• In the right pane, select Device Administrators.

• Check the box next to “Remote Android control" and open it.

• In the “Activate device administrator?” window click "Enable".

How to find a phone on Google Play:

• Go to the Google Play website through any browser, open the “Settings” section (the button with the gear icon).
• Look at the "My Devices" list. All Android phones, tablets, watches, etc. linked to your account must be in this list.

How to locate a lost Android gadget

The steps below are performed through a computer or other mobile device connected to the Internet.

• Open your browser and log in with your Google account.
• Go to the main page of your account and in the “Search for a phone” section, click “Get Started”.

• Select your lost device from the list and enter your password again to log into your account. Once in the search section, click the “Find” button.

The location of your device will be displayed on the area map.

Other available features:

• The phone rings. When ringing is activated, the device will ring for 5 minutes (even at zero volume), attracting people's attention. However, this helps more if you don't remember where you put it, but if the dialer is lost or stolen, it can worsen the situation. Also, not all devices support it.
• Blocking. Return to the previous page and open the “Lock your phone” section. Change the default message if desired. Click "Block".

• Call your phone using Google Hangouts messenger. To go, click on the highlighted word.

• Exit account on the device. To exit, press the appropriate button.

• Delete user data from the gadget’s internal memory (excluding the memory card). Select this option if you are sure that the phone has fallen into the wrong hands and an attacker could use the information on it to harm someone. For example, it will start sending malware to your contacts or gain access to electronic wallets. If you agree to deletion, click the “Yes, erase” button, but searching on the map, blocking and dialing will be unavailable after that.

Manufacturers are also developing services similar to Google Phone Finder. mobile devices. Their operating principles and range of capabilities are the same or slightly larger. For example, Samsung offers its smartphone users the following:

• Finding your location on the map.
• Remote blocking.
• Erasing confidential data.
• Ringing (playing a ringing tone loudly for 1 minute to attract the attention of others).
• Access to call log.
• Notification when the owner's SIM card is removed.
• Remotely switching the device to “emergency mode” - reducing the screen brightness and disabling most functions and applications to save battery power. To keep a lost phone in sight for as long as possible.

Find my device from Google - a mobile application for finding lost devices

To simplify the search for lost or stolen Android gadgets, you can use mobile app, available for free download from Google Play. It has the same set of functions as the Google Phone Finder service. Namely:

• Allows you to determine the location of the gadget on the map.
• Rings it (makes it ring at maximum volume for 5 minutes).
• Blocks use.
• Allows the owner to log out of the account Android entries and remotely erase user data.

Find my device is intended to be installed on the device that will be used for searching, not on the one you want to protect from loss.

The conditions for the availability of application functions are the same as for “Find a Phone” through the Google browser service.

Phone search services by cellular subscriber number and IMEI

PLNET (Phone-Location.net)

The Russian-language PLNET web service allows you to determine the location of a lost gadget by both phone number and IMEI (the international mobile device identification code assigned to each device at the factory). The search is carried out using satellites and cell towers and works in the following networks of Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh cellular operators:

• Beeline.
• Megaphone.
• Kyivstar.
• Kcell.
• Vodafone.
• Altel.
• TELE2.
• Velcom.

The main functions of the service are paid. Free, unlike Google, it allows you to find out only the country, region and city in which the device you are looking for is located. More accurate coordinates are available for 500 rubles after registration. In addition, with a paid subscription, real-time device tracking, history of its movements, and search by IMEI are available. In the latter case, you should, along with the IMEI, also indicate the number of the SIM card that the owner was using before the phone was lost. If you didn't have time to write it down while you had the phone, look at the stickers on the box.

The service has similar functions for determining the location of devices, with the exception of searching by IMEI. Printouts of travel history are also available for paid subscribers. The one-time service of determining exact coordinates by phone number costs 900 rubles.

The service operates in the networks of the following mobile operators:

• Beeline.
• Megaphone.
• Kyivstar.
• Kcell.
• TELE2.
• Velcom.

PLNET, OM-TEL, and other similar resources are still more suitable for spying on loved ones (children, spouse, etc.). They are of little use in searching for stolen smartphones, because an attacker, if he is not devoid of intelligence, will immediately replace the owner’s SIM card with his own. In this case, the service will show the place where your SIM card was last registered in the operator’s network. Or it won't show anything.

— verification service serial numbers and IMEI of various mobile devices to determine whether they are included in the lost and stolen database. Supports all phone models and brands.

The SNDeepInfo user can add the IMEI or serial number of a lost or found device to the service database, leaving his email for communication. If you wish, you can also specify the amount of the return reward here. No registration or payment is required for this.

The service works similar to the previous one, but only maintains the IMEI database. With its help, you can, for example, find out whether a phone you bought second-hand was stolen from the previous owner. And also add the code of your device to the database.

The author also considers phone search services by IMEI to be of little use, because with their help it is impossible to find out either the location of the device or who is currently using it. They are designed for honest people, which, if a device lost by someone is found, will themselves begin to look for its owner. Law enforcement They don’t use such databases either - they have the opportunity to obtain the necessary information directly from mobile operators.

Anti-theft apps for smartphones

CM Security: protection and antivirus

In addition to antivirus, firewall and system optimization tools, it includes an anti-theft module. It includes:

— a program to protect your device from theft with an expanded range of capabilities. Among them:

• Remote monitoring of phone movement through the application website.
• Remote blocking.
• Calling.
• Sending messages to a lost phone.
• Deleted screenshots.
• Taking photos and videos of the attacker's face. Record sound through a microphone.
• Erase user data from internal memory and SD card.
• Remote control of the device via the console interface using commands.
• Automatically enable geodata transfer if it is disabled.
• Power cut-off blocking so that a thief cannot turn off the device and thereby interfere with his search.
• Creation own rules user, etc.

The majority of Cerberus functions only work in the paid version. Even more of them are available when you gain root rights.