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To Lock or Not Lock Your Phone
07-15-2018, 03:23 PM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Ajijic
Posts: 155
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To Lock or Not Lock Your Phone
We got our first Smart Phone a few months ago.
Earlier this week I was walking near our home in Mexico and happened upon a lit-up cell phone in some tall grass next to the sidewalk. If it wasn't "on" I am not sure I would have noticed it.
I took it home and looked at recent texts and they were to "Mom" so I texted "Mom." It was her son's phone; Mom was in Arizona and her son was on vacation here in Mexico with his family. Mom texted her granddaughter's phone and we connected and the phone was returned.
If the phone had been locked and needed a password or fingerprint to open, I would not have been able to contact the owner. OTOH, if turned on and picked up by an unscrupulous person with access to the owner's business/financial information, who knows what could have transpired.
So, what do you do....lock or not? We have been locking ours since we got it but now wondering if that is the best solution.
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07-15-2018, 03:26 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 13,228
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I put a msg on my lock screen with my email address, and my son's contact info. Keeps the phone secure but I'll get it back if someone good finds it, as long as they notice the message.
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07-15-2018, 03:26 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,609
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+1 Agreed, I don't lock my phones either. I do have all my passwords centrally stored on lastpass so that I can quickly change them if needed. And as I just mentioned on the other thread, I maintain a security freeze at all 3 credit bureaus.
-gauss
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07-15-2018, 03:29 PM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dutchess County
Posts: 1,599
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Lock, Lock, Lock. To much stuff on phone, I'd rather buy a new phone than allow strangers, including the govt to look in my phone.
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07-15-2018, 03:29 PM
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#5
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Ajijic
Posts: 155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningBum
I put a msg on my lock screen with my email address, and my son's contact info. Keeps the phone secure but I'll get it back if someone good finds it, as long as they notice the message.
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OK. Now I just have to figure out how to do that. I am still learning the ropes of Smart phones.
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07-15-2018, 03:36 PM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 13,228
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On my Moto Andoid phone, I got to Settings, Security, and hit the settings wheel on Screen Lock. In there is the Lock screen message. It may change between android versions and is almost certainly different for iPhones, but that should be the general place.
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07-15-2018, 03:42 PM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9,182
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mexexpat
OK. Now I just have to figure out how to do that. I am still learning the ropes of Smart phones.
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+1
Especially now that the phone works with a finger print. Before that, it was a pain, but still kept it locked.
__________________
Every day when I open my eyes now it feels like a Saturday - David Gray
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07-15-2018, 03:44 PM
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#8
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Ajijic
Posts: 155
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I did it!!! Set up message on Lock Screen. Put it in both English and Spanish. Mil gracias!
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07-15-2018, 04:01 PM
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#9
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 176
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Locked but the lock screen has the option for emergency contact and it's got my husband's info (name/number).
I don't save passwords for banking/financial info, but my email is easily accessable on my phone, and since it would be super easy to do a "forgot password" reset with the email, there is no way I'd feel comfortable having the phone unlocked.
__________________
FIRE as of spring 2015!
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07-15-2018, 04:06 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 9,525
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Don't lock and have had phones for 20 years.
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07-15-2018, 04:07 PM
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#11
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: The Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Posts: 2,791
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If it’s an iPhone be sure to set up the “find my phone” app. I’m not sure what the droid counterpart would be.
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07-15-2018, 04:28 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dutchess County
Posts: 1,599
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy
If it’s an iPhone be sure to set up the “find my phone” app. I’m not sure what the droid counterpart would be.
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Not only can you find your phone but if you can't recover then you have the option to brick the phone.
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07-15-2018, 04:28 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 38,148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningBum
I put a msg on my lock screen with my email address, and my son's contact info. Keeps the phone secure but I'll get it back if someone good finds it, as long as they notice the message.
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Exactly.
The son could have also found his phone via the app.
I have way too much sensitive info on my phone. I have to lock it.
I can brick it remotely if necessary.
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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07-15-2018, 04:55 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 5,214
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankiesGirl
Locked but the lock screen has the option for emergency contact and it's got my husband's info (name/number).
I don't save passwords for banking/financial info, but my email is easily accessable on my phone, and since it would be super easy to do a "forgot password" reset with the email, there is no way I'd feel comfortable having the phone unlocked.
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+1
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07-15-2018, 05:12 PM
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#15
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Central MS/Orange Beach, AL
Posts: 9,072
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I've never locked but this is probably a good idea. So set up as suggested. PIN number with email and emergency number on the lock screen. I have an android phone fwiw.
__________________
Retired 3/31/2007@52
Investing style: Full time wuss.
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07-15-2018, 05:19 PM
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#16
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gone traveling
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: The Deep South Bay
Posts: 744
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Yes I lock, if I lose it I’m not sure if the OP would find it, could be the cartel next time
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07-15-2018, 05:32 PM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,024
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I keep mine locked with a lock screen message so good samaritans like the OP can contact me. My phone uses facial recognition to unlock, but I can also use the fingerprint sensor or a swipe pattern.
I use PassWordSafe. Lost a phone about 2 years ago in the Dominican Republic. I used the Google 'Find My Device' function for several days, but it never showed up. I lost it during a driving rainstorm near the beach, so pretty sure it was fried or washed out to sea. I changed all my important passwords in PassWordSafe.
__________________
Retired at 52 in July 2013. On to better things...
AA: 85/15 WR: 2.7% SI: 2 pensions, SS later
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07-15-2018, 05:45 PM
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#18
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,662
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GalaxyBoy
If it’s an iPhone be sure to set up the “find my phone” app. I’m not sure what the droid counterpart would be.
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Same thing, "Find my Device."
For the lock screen message, if that's still a thing, just put "ICE:" (In Case of Emergency) and the phone number you want them to contact. Or "If found call:"
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07-15-2018, 05:46 PM
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#19
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2013
Location: ATL --> Flyover Country
Posts: 6,649
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Plus, if you use the Google Pay app (which was Android Pay and something else before that) then you HAVE to lock the phone...no choice in the matter. But, that's not a bad thing, IMHO.
__________________
FIRE'd in 2014 @ 40 Years Old
Professional Retiree
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07-15-2018, 07:16 PM
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#20
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: St. Charles
Posts: 3,919
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RunningBum
I put a msg on my lock screen with my email address, and my son's contact info. Keeps the phone secure but I'll get it back if someone good finds it, as long as they notice the message.
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I never thought of that, and will implement soon.
I was trained by Megacorp to lock the phone, and still do. As said above, with finger print access it is fairly painless.
__________________
If your not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Never slow down, never grow old!
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