Cell Phone Thefts

[Rams]

Although it's never happened to me, I know the threat is always there and to be quite honest, I'm not that careful with my cell phone, frequently setting it down and having to go look for it or call it so I can listen for it's distinctive ring.  

But, watching the news this evening, they reported that thieves are shooting and killing people just to get their smart phones.    While this seems pretty stupid to me and does say something about our society as a whole, the answer seems obvious to me.    The news reported that there is a way or app that can be installed that will kill the cell phone.    Once it's stolen, the owner can remotely kill the cell making it useless.  

Why isn't this app already installed in all smart phones?    According to the news, the cell phone manufacturer's association is against this.    That doesn't make sense to me, wouldn't that mean they'll sell more new phones?

[fudgie]

I left mine lay on the chair the other day while I went on a run. Come back to see a desturbing text was sent to a co worker!  And he took some pictures with it. Thx god it wasnt his 'usual' pictures! 

[Fritz The Cat]

The iPhone has an app called "Find My iPhone". Not only will it show you on Google Earth where your phone is, it will also allow you to erase it and disable it. Apple got this one right. 

[bigguy]

The iPhone has an app called "Find My iPhone". Not only will it show you on Google Earth where your phone is, it will also allow you to erase it and disable it. Apple got this one right. 

The app runs on any apple product. iPads, iPhones, and laptops. You can also send a chime to the device, even if it's in silent mode. This proved very handy as my wife would put her phone on silent at work, but then NEVER take it off. Then she'd leave work for several hours of shopping. I worried because if something happened to her, I wouldn't know it for hours. The compromise was installing "Find my iPhone." I could log on and see where she was, and even chime the phone if I need to talk to her, even though the phone was in silent mode.

[Michvalk]

If your phone is stolen, any carrier can disable the phone for you. Just report it stolen. (probably won't happen if your dead)

[The emperor has no clothes]

I left mine lay on the chair the other day while I went on a run. Come back to see a desturbing text was sent to a co worker!  And he took some pictures with it. Thx god it wasnt his 'usual' pictures! 

Be thankful you don't work with Steamer

[bassman]

There is also something like this available:

http://www.avast.com/en-us/free-mobile-security

It's FREE, rates pretty good, has an antivirus program and an anti theft program.  I think you can locate a lost phone, turn it off remotely, wipe it or disable it remotely plus a few other things.  

I've used this antivirus program program but not the anti theft tool.

M'be someone has used this and can comment on its effectiveness or perhaps recommend another program.

[Wizzard]

There is a program for all androids that you can put on and shut down the phone remotely. Its available and has been for some time.