Stolen Phone

[djfbaby1]

Is there any way to locate a stolen htc inspire? Someone stole my phone today and I logged into htc sense but when i tried to locate it, al it did was load. Would at&t be able to locate my phone? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[John Redcorn]

Sorry I have no help to offer but just a word of caution to others, that htcsense.com site has only ever been able to show my phone on a map like twice in the 12-15 times I've tried it. It seems to lock the phone or make it ring no problem except one time when I tried the lock function and it didn't happen until a few hours later. I have had exactly zero connectivity or gps problems using other apps so it's highly unlikely either of those were my problem.

 

[lunatic59]

If you didn't have any security software on your phone, one of the few things that might work is Plan B | AppBrain Android Market. Mind you, the phone must be on and connected to a data source for this to work. If you have already notified AT&T and they have deactivated it, it's unlikely it will work.

 

[djfbaby1]

I did lock the phone though.

 

[djfbaby1]

Yea my mom suspended the line. But before she did I locked it and erased it from htcsense.com.

 

[lunatic59]

All locking the phone will do will be to make it less convenient to make calls or see your data. If whoever took the phone has any technical skills, they could force a factory reset and use your sim to make calls on your account. Just sayin'.

 

[lunatic59]

Yea my mom suspended the line. But before she did I locked it and erased it from htcsense.com.

Okay. Then the sim is deactivated and there's nothing that can be done at this point. AT&T will block the IMEI and the phone won't work on any GSM network in the US even if they put a different sim in it.

Hopefully what will happen is whoever stole it will sell it to some unsuspecting person and they will try to use it with their own sim. When it fails to connect they might take it to an AT&T store and the rep should be able to see that it's stolen. If they confiscate the phone, you may actually get it back, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[djfbaby1]

Btw what happens when my line is suspended by AT&T? And yea if I dont get the phone back I'll be happy to know that at least they can't use it either.

 

[2manyPHONES]

Btw what happens when my line is suspended by AT&T? And yea if I dont get the phone back I'll be happy to know that at least they can't use it either.

While it is suspended it can't receive/make calls or texts or anything for that matter.

 

[djfbaby1]

What about if they wereto put in another sim card?

 

[2manyPHONES]

What about if they wereto put in another sim card?

The imei number has been suspended so it shouldn't work and if they try to take it to att cause it doesn't work it should pop up a red flag when they look up that imei.

I lost a phone and had it suspended then found it a couple months later in my daughters room. Forgot about suspending it and tried to put my sim in it and wouldn't do anything. Had to call att to straighten it out.

 

[djfbaby1]

The imei number has been suspended so it shouldn't work and if they try to take it to att cause it doesn't work it should pop up a red flag when they look up that imei.

I lost a phone and had it suspended then found it a couple months later in my daughters room. Forgot about suspending it and tried to put my sim in it and wouldn't do anything. Had to call att to straighten it out.

Well Im happy that whoever stole it can't use it if I can't. It really sucks because I had my sd card in there now its gone too.

 

[StandingCow]

Let this be a lesson to others, get Seekdriod...

 

[csoto2010]

I agree, get SeekDroid and you will not have to worry about this. You can even hide the app on your phone so that no one can see it.

 

[StandingCow]

I agree, get SeekDroid and you will not have to worry about this. You can even hide the app on your phone so that no one can see it.

Unless you have an application like Superbox, or probably other apps that move things to an SD card for you, that will still see it for me. But, they would actually have to go looking.

But still, yea, seekdroid and an onscreen password = win.

 

[droidbaby]

Well Im happy that whoever stole it can't use it if I can't. It really sucks because I had my sd card in there now its gone too.

Very rarely would they really suspend the IMEI. I lost a dumnphone and all at would tell me was they can send me a aim and i have to buy a new phone, and they won't locate it for me or do anything else.

Seekdroid seems to work.

 

[WhoMe?]

Before you decide on any remote find/remote lock go to Android Lost it's free, secure, can be hidden on your phone, and only Google knows your password.

Highly recommended.

 

[andrews317]

Before you decide on any remote find/remote lock go to Android Lost it's free, secure, can be hidden on your phone, and only Google knows your password.

Highly recommended.

Damn, I read the "Specs" and it looks great. I just have question:

the first thing a thief does is removing the SIM card. In case I have this program installed and the SIM card is removed, would it still find my phone? I'm not sure if this program stores the SIM card information or the phone's information.

 

[RigelX]

I just installed the free version of Seekdroid.
Seems to work pretty well. I want to wait to see if there is any kind of performance hit on my battery before I think about the paid version.

 

[WhoMe?]

Damn, I read the "Specs" and it looks great. I just have question:

the first thing a thief does is removing the SIM card. In case I have this program installed and the SIM card is removed, would it still find my phone? I'm not sure if this program stores the SIM card information or the phone's information.

Not only that but it will email your Gmail account with the new phone number when a new sim is inserted. It can activate the GPS and you can track it and turn on a loud aggravating whitenoise alarm when you get close. it can be hidden so it doesn't show in the app list and can only be uninstalled from the website. Of course if it is a professional thief they will root and it and install a new ROM and no program will save it. That's where insurance comes in. Most theives are amateurs and sell on Craigslist.

 

[andrews317]

Not only that but it will email your Gmail account with the new phone number when a new sim is inserted. It can activate the GPS and you can track it and turn on a loud aggravating whitenoise alarm when you get close. it can be hidden so it doesn't show in the app list and can only be uninstalled from the website. Of course if it is a professional thief they will root and it and install a new ROM and no program will save it. That's where insurance comes in. Most theives are amateurs and sell on Craigslist.

What about a master reset? Would it delete the app? I wanna be sure because I live in a very unsecure country. Ive got 3 phones stolen already and I am always worried with my Inspire.

 

[Saltine713]

Do you all realize that Seekdroid and those other apps have like less than 1% chance of finding your phone?

First, your phone needs to be on. Second, you need to have service. Don't forget that a thief could easily remove the SIM card and would render these apps useless. Even if the GPS could work, if it was in a building like a house, the GPS would never connect.

 

[andrews317]

Do you all realize that Seekdroid and those other apps have like less than 1% chance of finding your phone?

First, your phone needs to be on. Second, you need to have service. Don't forget that a thief could easily remove the SIM card and would render these apps useless. Even if the GPS could work, if it was in a building like a house, the GPS would never connect.

Thats better than 0% chance of finding it. I tested it at home and it very accurate.

 

[John Redcorn]

, if it was in a building like a house, the GPS would never connect.

I can get 15 foot accuracy gps locks inside my 1 story house with my inspire or my old winmo phone.

If you can't or think you may have an underperforming gps, there's a known hw problem with a minority of DHD and inspire gps antennas, search google for desire hd gps antenna fix.

But I do have to agree with you that if it's stolen you're probably not getting it back. The police aren't going to do anything, and what are you going to do if you find it on a map? confront criminals? ha, good way to get shot. I have a ccw and there's no way that thought would cross my mind for half a second over a 3 or 400 dollar phone.

It would be great if you just left it somewhere and couldn't remember where.

 

[Saltine713]

This is why you spend $5 a month for insurance for the phone.