01.10.2017 15:00:00

What not to do with a phone that has fallen into water

Before telling you how to save a drowned phone, it’s worth focusing on what you should never do:

• Do not disassemble the phone if you do not know how to do it, especially if the gadget is under warranty.
• Do not dry your phone with a hairdryer, on a radiator, or near a stove. Excessive heat can melt delicate parts and contacts, and a stream of air from a hairdryer will simply drive water droplets even deeper into the phone.
• Do not use sugar for drying. Despite the fact that it absorbs liquid well, grains of sugar can stick to important parts of the phone and completely ruin it.
• Don’t be lazy to go to the service center, even if you were able to fix the phone yourself. Experts will tell you for sure whether the phone will still last, or whether it’s worth replacing it.

Phone connected to the network

If a phone that is plugged in falls into water, be sure to unplug the charger. Water is known to be an excellent conductor of electricity. So, if you take your connected phone out of the water, you risk getting a serious shock.

Basic procedure

Now let's move on to the main steps that will help revive a phone that has fallen into the water:

1. If the phone that fell into the water was turned off, do not turn it on. A short circuit can burn all the gadget's microcircuits. If your phone is turned on after falling into water, you must turn it off.
2. Wipe your phone with a dry towel or napkin.
3. Remove everything that can be removed from the phone: battery, SIM cards, memory cards. Make sure these parts are dry.
4. You can shake the phone a little to remove as much moisture as possible from it. However, do not overdo it, otherwise fragile contacts may come loose from strong shaking.

How to dry your phone

After all the preparatory work has been completed, you can proceed to the process of drying the phone. You can do this in several ways:

Method 1: The simplest, for the patient.

Place your phone on a dry surface and wait for the water to dry on its own. This method is suitable if a little moisture gets into the phone, for example, when water or tea was spilled on it.

Method 2: Use a vacuum cleaner.

As mentioned above, under no circumstances should you blow water inside the phone. However, excess moisture can be drawn out of the mobile phone. You can do this using a vacuum cleaner:

• Take the narrowest nozzle
• Turn on the vacuum cleaner at minimum power mode
• Blow the phone and each removed part for about 10 minutes

Please note that when drying this way, you cannot hold the suction tube close to the phone. It is better to keep it at a distance of 1 - 1.5 centimeters.

Method 3: Use rice grains

Rice is known for its hygroscopic properties. Every housewife knows that rice perfectly absorbs water. And many photographers dry their cameras and lenses in rice after shooting in the rain. To remove water from your phone using rice, you need to do the following:

• Place rice in a small container
• Place the phone there with the case removed
• Close the lid and leave for several days

Method 4: Use alcohol

To dry your phone, one of the properties of alcohol is its ability to evaporate moisture. Of course, you don't need to dip your phone in a glass with alcohol. Take a cotton swab, makeup remover pad, or small tissue. Blot it with alcohol and gently wipe the wet parts of the phone.

Method 5: Use Silica Gel

When buying new shoes, you can often find in the box a bag of special absorbent material - silicate gel in the form of small balls. It can also be used to dry your phone. As in the example with rice, take a small cup, pour silica gel into it, put the phone in it, close the lid and leave for about 10 hours. During this time, the absorbent should draw out all the water.

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Now you know what to do if your phone falls into water. In any case, you need to consider under what circumstances the liquid got into the phone and what kind of liquid it was. So, if your mobile phone ends up in sea water, there is a high probability that it will no longer be possible to save it, since salt water causes severe corrosion of the metal.

In the next lesson we will tell you how to install applications on a memory card. Do not miss!

Instructions

If an attacker who stole your smartphone needs your data, then the first thing he will try to do is completely turn off the device or turn off all communications: mobile and WiFi. If he only needs your device, then the first thing he will do is do a hard reset to return the device to factory settings. Therefore, you need to block your smartphone as soon as possible after discovering it is missing and try to track its location. This is done remotely using special tools.

If you have an Android smartphone, then you need to go to the link https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager to the page for remote control of your devices. If the smartphone is currently online, its location will be displayed on the map, with fairly decent accuracy. If the phone is offline, its location will be determined and shown on the map as soon as it comes online.
There is an application of the same name in the Google Play market Android Remote Control(or Device Manager). With it, you can search and block your device from another Android device.
Also useful for tracking your Android device is the https://www.google.com/maps/timeline service, which collects and stores the history of your device’s movements.

If you have prudently allowed the location of your Android device to be determined and configured to block and delete data (button Configure data blocking and deletion), then here you will also be able to block the phone or erase data stored in its internal memory (data from the SD card will not be deleted). You can write a message that will appear on the device screen and leave a backup number to contact you.

If you are the owner of an iPhone, then go to the search page https://icloud.com/find or launch the special “Find iPhone” application from another i-device. Select your lost device from the list of devices. If it's online, you'll see its location on the map.
Next you need to activate Lost Mode. This mode locks the device with a code. Also here you should set a message about the return reward and leave your contact information so that we can contact you.
Here you can delete all data from your iPhone. However, after this it will no longer be possible to find it through the iPhone search page. But no one will be able to use your smartphone until they activate it using your Apple ID.

If you have lost your Windows device, go to https://account.microsoft.com/devices and log in. Select a stolen/lost smartphone from the list of your devices and click Phone search. If its location is known, it will be displayed on the map. Next, click “Block” and indicate the phone number for feedback from you.

Many smartphone manufacturers have their own individual means of finding lost or stolen smartphones. For example, Sony devices have a service My Xperia Theft Protection. From Samsung - Reactivation Lock. In addition to searching for smartphones, Apple devices have a function Activation Lock. Typically, these features are activated by the user, that is, you, until the moment of loss, so we will not dwell on them in detail. Search the website of the manufacturer of your device, it is possible that one of the tools they offer will help you find your smartphone.

After this, it is advisable to contact your mobile operator and leave a request for SIM card blocking. Of course, after blocking, your device will not be able to access the network via GPRS mobile Internet, and its location will only be determined via WiFi. But attackers usually exclude this possibility.
Next we write missing person report to the police and, possibly, to your mobile operator. To do this, you will need your passport, the original packaging of the device and a cash register/sales receipt.
If you know the unique IMEI number of your smartphone, you can leave information that it is on the list of stolen ones in the http://sndeep.info/ru/lostolen database. Specify the amount of the return fee. Perhaps someone will find it and return it to you.
These are perhaps the basic steps you can take to try to win back your loss.

To protect your personal data, it is advisable to disconnect your smartphone from cloud services, instant messengers, email accounts, etc. Typically, each service has a function to unlink connected devices. Google, VKontakte, Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook, Viber, Odnoklassniki have this function. Where this is not the case, change your passwords. For example, you will have to change passwords on Skype, Instagram, Mail.ru.

And finally, a few words about programs that will help you find your smartphone, but which must be installed and configured BEFORE you lose it. There are many such programs on Google Play. But perhaps the highest quality in this regard is Avast Anti-Theft. It will help you find your stolen smartphone even after the attacker performs a factory reset. Unfortunately, if the program was not installed before the loss, this method is not applicable.

Sources:

• Android Remote Control
• Search iPhone
• Search for a Windows Mobile smartphone
• Database of missing smartphones

Have you accidentally found a lost phone and don’t know whether to keep it or return it to the owner? Imagine that you yourself find yourself in such a situation and the answer will come by itself. How to return a lost phone?

Instructions

Select one of the numbers from the phone book of the lost phone and call it. This is the easiest and surest way to return your mobile phone. Be careful - the person who picks up the phone at the other end may not be honest and steal the find. Therefore, it is better to call one of the relatives of the person who has lost his phone. Introduce yourself, explain the situation and ask how you could return the mobile phone. You will certainly be thanked.

Hand over the found mobile phone to the police. This is the most legal way to return. Make sure that your cell phone is accepted according to all the rules, and that you receive documentary evidence that it was handed over. You should not blame the police for dishonesty, but the correct procedure for returning a phone through law enforcement agencies is the key to its speedy receipt by the real owner.

Post a notice that you have found a mobile phone. Describe its appearance, the place where you found it and be sure to leave your coordinates. If you found a cell phone in a place that is not in a public place, then perhaps the owner will be found and you can return the cell phone to him. Before returning a cell phone, be sure to ask the potential owner to name any distinctive features of the phone you found. In this way, you will check whether you are returning the find to the right person and will protect yourself from returning the mobile phone to the wrong person.

Use the databases of cellular operators. Using such a database, you can easily determine the owner’s coordinates and his city phone number. You can drive up to the address you found to return the phone, or arrange a meeting at a place convenient for you. Gratitude and a surprised face from the owner will definitely be guaranteed. Please remember that information from your carrier's database will need to be verified first.

Video on the topic

A fairly common situation is when your phone goes missing. Perhaps it fell out of your purse, or was left lying on a table in a public place, or was simply stolen. In any case, losing your phone is very unpleasant, since it not only deprives you of a means of communication, the Internet, a calculator and other useful functions (after all, equipment can be bought), but also your contacts and phone numbers, which are much more difficult to restore. If you don’t waste time and complete all the necessary steps, it is quite possible to find your phone.

Submit an application to the police department where the theft occurred. By law, your application is also required to be accepted by the traffic police post, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the local inspector and even a unit. Please note that if you simply lost it, the application may not be accepted (since there is no evidence of a crime). If you have friends in or at telecom operators, contact them. This is the most effective and fastest way, since, knowing the IMEI number of your phone (it is individual for each device), they can quickly determine which SIM card is inserted into it and where the phone is located. If your phone is very important to you, but you don’t know anyone in suitable structures, contact a private security company. Call several private security companies, since not all of them offer this service (it will cost at least 1000 rubles). Go to a phone market or a place that sells/buys used phones. Visits to pawnshops, cell phone repair shops, and equipment purchase points can also bring results. If you find yours, return to this place again, but with a representative of the authorities (in this case, a statement of theft must have already been filed). Send an SMS or call your cell phone number and offer a profitable redemption of the phone through third parties. Never make threats as this may scare away finders or thieves. If you lose your phone, print out notices and post them in the area where it was lost. You can also put an ad in the newspaper and report it to the lost property office, it is quite possible that this will work. As soon as you discover a loss, quickly block the SIM card so that the criminal cannot use your money. Write an application for restoration, and after a while you will be given a new SIM card with your old number.

Anything can happen in life, and one day you may unexpectedly discover that you have lost an important part of your life - your mobile phone. Don't panic at all, instead focus and try to remember where you last saw your phone.

Mobile is one of the most important components of the life of a modern person. But what if you lost it? Try calling it immediately. It is quite possible that he will provide you with all possible assistance in finding it, because the phone may be located a few meters from you.

If you do not hear the magic trill on your device, then events can develop in three ways. It is possible that the phone has not yet been found, so it is best to return to the place where you think you might have lost it. Borrow a mobile phone from friends and, heading to the place of the supposed loss, try to call the device. Remember that you need to call often, but not for long, because although it is easier to find a phone after a long call, it can be found by a person who wants to appropriate the find for himself.

The easiest way is if the phone has been found and the finder is ready to return it to you. He will definitely answer your call and make an appointment for you. It will be nice if you reward him with a reasonable reward.

If, when you call your number, you hear a voice telling you that the device is turned off, then most likely you will no longer see your mobile phone. An answering machine from your network operator means that the new owner of your phone has deactivated it or simply threw away your SIM card, replacing it with his own.

Is your PIN code enabled? Then the likelihood that you have parted with your device forever increases, since without knowing the code it will simply be impossible to return your mobile phone to you. If this service is not activated, it is recommended to immediately contact the customer service department of your network and ask to block the SIM card. To do this, you need to know the details of its owner; this is important to remember if the number was registered in someone else’s name (for example, when parents buy SIM cards for children).

It happens that you cannot contact your network operators, but you have a significant amount of money in your personal account that you do not want to give to anyone, or you are a subscriber to a credit tariff plan. In this situation, it is best to call a lost phone. If the device’s battery does not run out, then, most likely, the person who finds it will turn it off, tired of annoying calls. When the mobile phone is turned off, you can block the SIM card.

You will need

• - cell phone box;
• - documents from a cell phone;
• - statement to the police.

Instructions

To return your stolen phone quickly, you need to act immediately. Many people advise immediately blocking the phone number so that the attacker does not “talk” a decent amount that you will have to pay. But it is better to refrain from blocking a number, because if a thief calls it, this will identify the person who was called, he will be called in for questioning, and the person who stole the phone will be found very quickly. But more often it happens that the SIM card is immediately thrown away, then you need to take the opportunity to return the stolen phone using its ID.

Try returning your stolen phone using IMEI. This is the International Mobile Equipment Identifier, which is assigned to each mobile device. IMEI is assigned at the factory and entered into the phone's firmware. You can read the identifier under the battery on the device itself, on the box in which the phone was sold, and on the warranty card. You can also find out IMEI this way. Dial *#06# on your phone, this number will appear on the screen.

Helpful advice

Unfortunately, the police receive a lot of such reports, so returning a stolen phone by IMEI can take many months. To speed up the process, remind the investigator often that you are still waiting.

There are a lot of situations when our smartphone can come into contact with water. You might get caught in a heavy downpour, knock over a cup of drink onto a nearby smartphone, or even drop your phone into the water while taking a hot bath. Recently, smartphone manufacturers have been trying to introduce water protection into their devices. However, the percentage of such devices is still very small, so our article will be relevant for a long time.

We will tell you what not to do if your smartphone gets wet, as well as several ways to correct the current situation.

1. Remove the smartphone from the water, turn it off and disassemble

As we were taught in life safety lessons, the first step is to get rid of the source of danger. In our case, we immediately take the device out of the water and turn it off. The smartphone has both slots and connectors for headphones/charging, through which water can instantly reach the insides and can cause a short circuit. After you take out the phone, you need to wipe it with a dry towel and also remove the battery. This will completely de-energize the device and reduce the likelihood of a short circuit to zero. We recommend removing the SIM card and memory card along with the battery.

IMPORTANT

Do not turn on your smartphone until you have completed all instructions.

2.Wipe all parts of the device well

After you take out the device, you need to wipe it thoroughly with a dry towel to get rid of all visible moisture. Do not use regular napkins or paper towels. It's no secret that paper napkins not only absorb moisture very well, but also quickly get wet, breaking up into small fibers. These lint will get caught in the holes and crevices of the device and will only make things worse.

Take a rag or cloth towel and wipe the device dry both outside and inside if water does get there. Do not leave a single drop on the surface, because any little thing can cause corrosion and render the device inoperable.

3. Hairdryer or vacuum cleaner?

For most people whose phone has fallen under water, the following situation occurs. They successfully complete the first two points of our article, but then they begin to search for additional solutions, what else can be done for the wet device. The most popular options are a hair dryer and a vacuum cleaner.

REMEMBER! Never use a hair dryer to dry your phone. Contrary to the idea that hot air will quickly dry out all the moisture, you need to understand: the air flow will not only drive the water even deeper, but can also melt some parts.

To speed up the drying process, you can use a vacuum cleaner. When drying, do not hold the hose too close to the smartphone; carry out the procedure for 7-10 minutes.

4. Put the phone in the sun in a box with absorbent or rice

Finally, when all the main steps are completed, you can begin the longest stage. The disassembled phone (we took out the battery, SIM card, flash drive) needs to be placed in a container with an absorbent substance. You've probably seen bags of this substance in shoe boxes.

You can purchase such a substance in the store in advance, in case of such an unforeseen situation. But, if the water ingress takes you by surprise, regular rice may be suitable as a “homemade substitute.” Place the device in the substance for a day and turn it over periodically, allowing water to drain out of all crevices. Only after the day has passed, having made sure that all the water has left the phone, can you try to start it.

If the device does not work, feel free to go to the service center.

5. What not to do

Finally, we would like to list what you absolutely cannot do if your phone falls into water.

• You cannot turn on the device right away. You can turn on the phone only after complete drying, when you have waited enough time for all the moisture to leave the device. Naturally, in a “wet” state, it is strictly forbidden to connect the device to a power source (put it on charge or connect it to a computer).
• Do not disassemble the device into parts. Most likely, you are not an expert, and by taking your smartphone apart (more than taking out the battery), you will only make things worse. The water will get even deeper, and you will break something.

All the best. Take care of yourself and your phones :)

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When you discover your mobile phone is missing, try not to panic. Instead, try to get your property back by doing the minimum necessary.

What to do first:

1. Ask a passerby for a mobile phone and call yourself. Of course, the thief will not answer you, but if he has not gone far yet, you will be able to hear your ringtone.
2. Write an SMS message to your number in which you offer a reasonable reward for returning the phone. Selling stolen goods is not at all safe, and perhaps a thief will meet you halfway.
3. If you have a significant amount of money in your mobile account, contact the mobile operator whose services you use and block the stolen SIM card. If there are few funds in the account, do not rush with this step. Perhaps a thief will use your device and later this will help to detect it faster. Disable your SIM card about a couple of hours after the theft.
4. Try contacting the police department with a request to promptly search the surrounding area. If not much time has passed since the theft, the criminal will be able to be found “hot on the trail.”

If you do not immediately discover that your mobile device is missing, prompt searches will not bring any results, since the thief has already managed to escape. In this case, it is better to do the following:

• File a statement with the police at the location where the theft occurred. In it, be sure to indicate that theft occurred, otherwise a criminal case will not be initiated. Please note that you may need receipts to prove the purchase of the phone and its value.
• Indicate in your application the IMEI code of the phone that was stolen from you. Knowing this code, the investigator can send a request to the telecom operator to track the device via GSM. This will allow you to determine its location with great accuracy.
• When your application is registered, it is assigned a specific number. Don’t forget to find out, because using this number you will be able to receive information about which investigator is conducting the case and what stage the investigation is at.
• Be persistent. Call the police and inquire about the fate of the investigation into your disappearance. This will ensure that your application does not get lost or remain unused.
• In your free time, explore local markets and flea markets. Perhaps you will recognize your gadget among those who are trying to sell it second-hand.

The time period during which it is possible to find a stolen phone is a month from the moment of theft. According to statistics, as this time passes, the likelihood of getting your property back becomes much less. And, unfortunately, not all missing gadgets are found.

To avoid troubles associated with phone theft, try to protect yourself as much as possible from such cases. Moreover, considering that prices for mobile phones are now quite high. When in public places, put the device in the inner pocket of your jacket or jacket, in the depths of your bag, or simply hold it in your hand. Try to feel your phone with you, check its availability from time to time. In this case, if it is stolen, you will save as much time as possible and will have time to quickly react to the loss.

Happens almost every day. No one is immune from such a situation. Therefore, the question of how to return a lost phone is quite important and relevant at the present time. Anyone should know what to do and what to do if such an unpleasant incident occurs.

Almost every person who purchases their mobile phone legally has:

• Package.
• Package details, headphones, instructions, etc.
• Warranty card.
• Digital number.
• IMEI number.

It is the last point that is the most important, since through it you can quickly find a lost or stolen phone.

Finding the location of a lost phone

You can try to determine the location of a lost gadget in several ways:

• Contacting a cellular operator who is able to determine the location of a mobile device by IMEI.
• You can contact the police (the process of how to write a statement about the loss will be described below).
• It is possible to use a special application (if it is installed on the device), which is designed to search for a phone.
• You can try to bypass random places where used equipment is sold, trying to find your lost one.
• Advertise on social networks or the media, in case someone...

Now let’s take a closer look at all the search methods, because each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as varying degrees of effectiveness.

When answering the question of how to write a statement to the police, it is worth noting that there is no strict form, but the following data must be indicated: full name of the person who lost the device, the date and time when this event occurred, a description of the circumstances.

If you or the police officers found your phone in another person’s possession and he claims to have bought it, then he must present a document that confirms the fact of purchase (store receipt, warranty in his name). If he cannot prove the legal right of his ownership and there are no documents confirming the purchase, then the device is confiscated and returned to you, as the rightful owner, in compliance with the necessary procedures.

What to do if you lose your phone

Everyone chooses for themselves what to do in a given situation, but there are generally accepted instructions regarding recommended actions. It is universal and at the same time most effective.

If you have lost your mobile phone, do not immediately panic. You must immediately send a special SMS message to him. It is quite possible that the phone will be very close and when a signal arrives, it can be quickly detected. Maybe you will be able to contact the person who found this device and immediately ask for it back for a symbolic reward.

If the phone does not answer for some reason, you must write a statement to the police stating that it has been stolen or lost.

In this case, you will need to attach the IMEI number, which is an international individual identifier of a mobile device.

For many modern devices, the IMEI is a number that consists of 15 digits. This special identification code is entered into a specific database where all currently existing mobile phones are registered. It is programmed directly in the device firmware.

A similar number can be found on the device box, it is written above the barcode, under the battery. The best option when searching for a device would be to attach a warranty card and a receipt to your application as proof of purchase.

Finding a lost phone by IMEI

Immediately after your statement is received by the police, employees make a request aimed at finding the location of your phone using the IMEI code. As a rule, during the process of connecting a device to one of the GSM IMEI networks, a special message is automatically sent to all mobile operators. This makes it possible to quickly determine within which of the base stations a device with a similar number will be located.

Next, you can calculate the location coordinates quite simply and with high accuracy. Upon request from the police, the mobile operator is obliged to provide complete information regarding where the phone is located, moreover, indicating its exact location on the map. If necessary, you can even determine the list of calls that were made from the device.

It is worth noting that it is not always possible to track a phone using its individual IMEI. If a device is stolen and stolen, an attacker can quickly and easily replace its software. In this case, the number will also change, which will completely block the ability to quickly detect the lost device.

According to statistics, following this scheme helped to find approximately half of all lost devices, which is a fairly serious indicator of the effectiveness of this method.

If you find someone else's lost phone, be sure to leave it on. Most likely the owner will call you and you can arrange a return. You should not appropriate someone else’s thing, because you may find yourself in the same situation.