LOST MY PHONE!

Summary

The article provides advice on how to increase the chances of recovering a lost phone by setting up an emergency contact that can be accessed from the lock screen.

Abstract

The article titled "LOST MY PHONE!" emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the unfortunate event of misplacing one's phone. It describes the common panic and subsequent relief when a phone is found after being lost. The author stresses the gravity of not only losing the device but also the personal data it contains, including contacts, emails, and access to bank accounts. A real-life scenario is presented where the author found a phone by a bus stop and couldn't access the owner's information due to the phone being locked. The article then offers a step-by-step method for Android users to add an emergency contact labeled "LOST MY PHONE" that can be accessed from the lock screen, allowing a finder to contact the owner easily. The author also suggests that this method, while primarily for retrieving lost phones, is beneficial for medical emergencies. The article concludes with a personal anecdote of the author returning a lost phone to its owner and encourages readers to implement the suggested emergency contact feature.

Opinions

The author believes that losing a phone is not just about the cost of the device but more about the loss of personal information and connections it represents.
They express that it is crucial to have a means of identifying the owner of a lost phone without compromising personal data security.
The author values the design of emergency contact features for their dual purpose: aiding in the return of lost phones and assisting in medical emergencies.
They advocate for proactive steps, such as setting up an emergency contact specifically for lost phone situations, as a responsible measure for phone owners, including children and the elderly.
The author implies that society benefits from individuals who are willing to help return lost items, as evidenced by their own experience of returning a phone to a distressed teenager.

Everyone needs to do this immediately

Everyone knows that horrific feeling of panic when you’ve misplaced your phone. Most of the time it’s somewhere in the house or in a different pocket than you remember putting it. Then follows that sigh of relief when it is safely back in your hand.

Then there’s real distress. You’re out in public and reach for your phone and its not there. You start searching your memory. When did you have it last? Most of us have at one time or another frantically retraced our steps hoping that it’s still where you put it down last.

The worst-case scenario. It’s gone. You’ve lost something that is going to cost you $700 or more to replace. That part of this situation pales in comparison to losing what’s INSIDE. Our phones are our connection to everything. All your contacts, maybe some business related. Access to your email accounts and your bank accounts. This is a disaster of biblical proportions.

Sometimes, we get lucky, and a kind and responsible person turns it in. The first thing we do is call our phone and hope someone answers. If they do, perhaps we can arrange to pick it up from them. This would certainly be a happy ending.

Today, I found a cell phone by the bus stop. Since I am a responsible person, I will do whatever it takes to get it back to the owner. Here’s a common dilemma. The phone is locked with a password. This prevents me from accessing their personal information, which is good, but I also can’t find out who owns the phone, which is bad.

This is what everyone should do to increase their chances of getting their phone back!

Go to your contacts and add LOST MY PHONE, and a number of someone you know would answer your call. Your mom, sister, husband, whoever.

Close your phone and go back to your locked screen. There should be a button that says emergency call. Press this.

You will see a + sign to add information. Hit that plus sign, and then your LOST MY PHONE contact.

If you now go back to your locked screen and press the emergency call icon, LOST MY PHONE will show up for whoever searches your phone. This enables someone who finds your phone to immediately contact someone on your behalf, give their info, and make arrangements to return your phone.

Now I have an android phone, and the steps may differ slightly for iPhone users, but the concept remains the same. If I find a phone, the first thing I check is their emergency call options. I can make a quick call and explain that I found this phone and would like to return it to its rightful owner.

If you have a child or teenager, get them to do this, or do it for them. My father is elderly, and I put my information in his contacts, so if he loses his phone, I can be reached on his behalf. This feature is also extremely useful for medical emergencies, which is what it was designed for. Anyone can enter a number to be reached should they be found unresponsive.

A locked phone is necessary to protect your personal information. By adding this feature to your phone, someone can reach out if your phone is lost. Unfortunately, the phone I found today didn’t have any emergency numbers listed. Luckily, I was walking my dog somewhat slowly and glanced back at the bus stop as I was about to turn the corner and spotted a teenage boy frantically searching under the bus bench. I called out to him, and the relief on his face was immense.

Since my good deed was done for the day, I decided to write this in the hope that someone else would feel the relief of recovering their lost device.

Thanks for reading!