Prevent Mobile Phone Crime


by Simon Burgess - Date: 2006-12-12 - Word Count: 1274 Share This!

Your mobile is likely to be a sophisticated piece of equipment which is increasingly more like a computer. It is also likely to be worth a lot of money. In most cases mobiles are obtained on a contract from 12 to 24 months and are usually provided at no additional cost. You may not realise quite how much your phone does cost until you lose it or it's stolen and you want to replace it with a similar model.

So mobiles are worth a lot of money. This makes them attractive to potential thieves who will use credit on your phone to make calls -- perhaps to premium rate lines or pay for goods. They may decide to sell it on at a far cheaper price than its worth. They don't care because they didn't pay for it in the first place. The important thing to understand is that mobiles are attractive to criminals because they see it as easy pickings. This is particularly the case for children and statistically children are far more likely to suffer from mobile phone crime than adults are. Children are also more likely to suffer acts of violence or verbal threats during a robbery.

How Can I Reduce The Risk of Being Targeted?

You need to reduce the likelihood that a criminal will target you specifically. A thief will always go for the easy option. If you make yourself less attractive to the thief by following these steps then it's far more likely they will leave you alone and look elsewhere.

Mobile phone crime tends to happen at night, in the dark and in city centres. Often robberies occur whilst a person is using their phone or texting.

Personal Safety

Be vigilant. Know what's going on around you. Try not to use your phone if you can help it in higher risk areas. If you do use it, make the calls short and don't get into a long conversation which could make you less aware of what's going on around you. It will also draw attention to an attacker that you have a mobile.

Keep your phone hidden don't make it visible by keeping on a belt. Don't draw attention to yourself by showing it off. Switch the phone into vibrate mode so it doesn't draw attention when it goes off.

Try and keep to well lit areas where there are other people around but also be wary in crowds where the phone could be snatched from you. * Travel with a friend at night if possible. * Don't leave your phone unattended -- in a car for example. * When you are travelling at night or in a higher risk area, don't use your personal stereo/iPod as this will reduce your awareness of who is around you. * Look like you know where you're going. Look confident and stand tall. A robber is looking for weakness in their victim and this will deter them. * Treat your phone as if it were cash. If you have a lot of money on you the last thing you want to do is to wave it around and draw attention to yourself.

If you are the victim of a robbery then consider just letting your assailant have what they want. You are perfectly within your rights to defend yourself with whatever objects you normally carry with you (like car keys or a brush) but remember your attacker may take them and use against you. It is illegal to carry a weapon even if you use it to defend yourself. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself if it's worth trying to prevent a thief from taking your phone. It's your decision, but it could mean the difference between being seriously hurt and not being harmed. You may want to think beforehand how you would react because if it did happen you might not have the time to think.

Other Advice

As well as you personal safety, there are a few other things you can do which may help you get your phone back if it were stolen. At the very least these measures will make it harder for someone who gets your phone from using it. It could also protect personal data held on your phone and it will help reduce mobile phone crime overall.

Use the pin number on your phone to lock it. This will ensure that someone who takes your phone can't easily use your sim and get access to the personal data held on it or run up huge bills which you will be liable for.

Type in the code *#06#. This is the IMEI number and is a unique serial number which can't be changed. Keep a record of the number and report it to your phone company or the police if it's stolen.

* If your phone gets stolen, report it to the police and your phone company as quickly as possible. Your phone company will block the phone for any network.

* Register your IMEI number with the Mobile Equipment National Database or MEND. This can be easily done online by visiting www.immobilise.com. It's a free service and you can also use it to register other valuables which you own. If the police recover your phone they can trace it back to you using the IMEI database.

* www.checkmend.com can be used to check if a particular phone has been lost or stolen. This serves as a good check if you acquire a used phone to make sure it's legitimate.

Although personal attacks are rare, mobile phone theft is on the increase and if you value your phone then you should heed the advice. You don't have to change your lifestyle to take these on board; it's just a case of being sensible and aware of what's going on around you.

At the end of the day there may be little you can do to stop a determined thief. If someone wants something bad enough, for what ever reason, they may do anything to get it from you. You can use all the precautions you want but someone who is determined enough will get what they want and you would be unwise to tackle them particularly if there is a gang. Your personal well being is far more important than a wallet or a mobile. If it means you being unhurt then its far better to let the thief have what they want. There's no disgrace in taking this approach. It takes a brave person to do this because one's natural reaction is to prevent someone taking what belongs to you.

What Else Can I do?

So what happens if your phone were stolen what else could you do? There is something you can do and it will give you peace of mind about the cost of replacing it. By insuring your phone you can avoid the worry of having to spend a lot of money to replace your old phone should it be stolen. The insurance has a cheap monthly premium and will cover you for other risks like accidental damage or loss. It also comes with a reward of a no claims bonus in the form of a replacement battery after twelve months with no claim. The policy does not force you to take out a 12 month contract ' you can terminate it at any time by giving one months notice. Cover also includes water damage which means you're covered even if you accidentally left your phone in the washing machine or it was dropped in a drink for instance. You're also covered abroad and when other family members use the phone. You pay by direct debit on a monthly basis but cover can be arranged immediately by making an initial payment by card.


Related Tags: mobile phones, mobile phone insurance, mobile phone crime, cover4phones.co.uk

For more information, visit www.cover4phones.co.uk. Don't wait until it's too late!

Remember

Be vigilant and be aware of your surroundings. You can significantly reduce your chances of being targeted for your mobile by following this advice.

www.cover4phones.co.uk

Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

© The article above is copyrighted by it's author. You're allowed to distribute this work according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license.
 

Recent articles in this category:



Most viewed articles in this category: