Page 10 | To think we will have to leave our phones at home

Pippy2022 · 2024-12-13T10:36:11+00:00

Fraud and phone theft is becoming such a problem I think it will reach a point where it's safer to leave the smart phone at home, certainly when visiting a city like London. Maybe smart phones will become such a risk - as in our lives are on them - we will stop using them and revert to bricks? Use tablets at home etc.

RedRiverShore5 · 13/12/2024 12:11

There are plenty of easy targets around. There was a woman on the news this morning on the phone stealing report at the railway station wafting her phone around, the policeman gently told her to be careful

samarrange · 13/12/2024 12:09

FictionalCharacter · 13/12/2024 12:07

Then there’s those of us who commute to London every day, walk about all the time and need a phone for work!

There’s been so much “London isn’t safe” (and it’s all Sadiq Khan’s fault) hyped up nonsense on SM, people think it’s some dystopian crime-ridden nightmare, not a normal city that’s much safer than a great many others. I’ve been lectured on X by people who have never been to London. Whenever a crime is reported they use it to imply that it’s happening at uniquely high rates.

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There’s been so much “London isn’t safe” (and it’s all Sadiq Khan’s fault) hyped up nonsense on SM

It's almost as if some people have something against Sadiq Khan personally, but I can't imagine what that might be.

Cerealkiller4U · 13/12/2024 12:08

Oaoejvr · 13/12/2024 10:38

What are the statistics on phone thefts in London? I can’t see that the risk outweighs the benefits to be honest. Also I don’t think your average phone thief has the technology to get into a phone that has a PIN code to commit fraud - they’d have to get past passcodes and Face ID.

It’s really not that hard.

Cerealkiller4U · 13/12/2024 12:08

DameCelia · 13/12/2024 10:37

Or we'll start using lanyards to keep the phones around our necks as people do in many other countries?

Yeah. You can get safety cords for your phone. Saw a TikTok of a girl in London who had someone try to grab her phone and she had one

samarrange · 13/12/2024 12:07

Crime has fallen everywhere in the western world for the past 30 years. Nobody quite knows why. But the perception of crime has increased. That's much easier to explain (omnipresent media, looking for clicks).

To think we will have to leave our phones at home

FictionalCharacter · 13/12/2024 12:07

SilverChampagne · 13/12/2024 10:43

There are almost 10 million people living in London, op.
Do you imagine they all leave their phones at home every time they leave the house?

Then there’s those of us who commute to London every day, walk about all the time and need a phone for work!

There’s been so much “London isn’t safe” (and it’s all Sadiq Khan’s fault) hyped up nonsense on SM, people think it’s some dystopian crime-ridden nightmare, not a normal city that’s much safer than a great many others. I’ve been lectured on X by people who have never been to London. Whenever a crime is reported they use it to imply that it’s happening at uniquely high rates.

SquirmOfEels · 13/12/2024 12:05

Petrasings · 13/12/2024 11:41

Well I am here now and it looks like 98% haven’t got your memo! Everyone has their phones out, walking, having coffee, following directions and chatting. I don’t think there is any chance of that happening. I think the technology will move on though and chunky phones will no longer be a thing. Apple Watches will continue to be developed and other tech that is much more obscure and less likely to be stolen in a short space of time.

I know what you mean - phones waved around everywhere

Snatchers will go for the ‘softest’ looking targets. Not a reason to be careless, but there’s a good chance that if you’re keeping your phone out of sight and thinking about finding a safe enough spot when you need to use it, then there will be other easier targets around

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 13/12/2024 12:05

What could be useful would be a 'two part' phone. So you have a screen that you hold but the main processing takes place on a small unit that you have in your pocket or bag. So if the screen is snatched they do not have access to the data etc.
Or is that how Apple watches work?

MaloryJones · 13/12/2024 12:05

Givemethreerings · 13/12/2024 10:45

People just stop walking around like a zombie staring at their phone. Put it in your pocket or zip bag like your wallet. Not surgically attached to your hand.

eg for navigating around a city people need to try using their brain to look at a route in advance and remember a couple of direction steps. If you need to check the map, stop, take out your phone, look and refresh your memory, then put it away again. We all managed fine with A-Zs back in the day (grumble grumble)

Edited

Completely agree with You

OP YABU
Born and bred in London and at 60 I have never had a phone stolen off Me.

Original poster

Pippy2022 · 13/12/2024 12:05

Cotonsugar · 13/12/2024 12:01

If you have bank notifications on your lock screen they can access your bank easily by getting them to send a code to the phone. Not sure exactly how they do it but I heard about it on a radio show.

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Yes, you need to turn off notifications as they can view the code when it flashes up.

OP posts:

justfornow1 · 13/12/2024 12:04

How's anyone supposed to play Pokémon Go with a brick

Original poster

Pippy2022 · 13/12/2024 12:04

pumpkinpillow · 13/12/2024 11:37

On the back of this thread I have just attached a lanyard to my phone. I'm travelling to a concert in London this evening. I feel perfectly safe, but for the sake of this 2 minute job I reduce the chance of it being stolen. It's a very, very small risk but the repercussions could be pretty major.

It could do with being a bit longer as I'll need to bend for contactless!

Good for you! Glad it's made a difference.

OP posts:

Cotonsugar · 13/12/2024 12:01

eurochick · 13/12/2024 11:43

My phone was stolen in London this year and the security worked. Other than the device they didn't get anything. I did get lots of scam texts and calls trying to get my details in the months afterwards though.

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If you have bank notifications on your lock screen they can access your bank easily by getting them to send a code to the phone. Not sure exactly how they do it but I heard about it on a radio show.

TheGrinchIsComingToTown · 13/12/2024 11:59

@Cotonsugar the key here is to not be sat on the tube right next to the door with your phone out!

ilovesooty · 13/12/2024 11:58

SeeMyself · 13/12/2024 11:53

For some reason, I always think these are also the people doing six loads of laundry a day and washing towels after one use.

Edited

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They're also the people cowering in their bedrooms if there's a knock on the door and the people living their lives at home because they're convinced that other people make them sick by breathing in their vicinity.

Avatartar · 13/12/2024 11:58

Don’t walk about outside while using the phone

ChampagneLassie · 13/12/2024 11:58

I don’t think this is as common as you think. This has happened to anyone I know personally and I’ve not heard people talking about it beyond the media. But you do what you like

OldieButBaddie · 13/12/2024 11:57

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/steps-to-take-before-your-phone-is-stolen/

This is helpfu

Cotonsugar · 13/12/2024 11:57

Oaoejvr · 13/12/2024 10:38

What are the statistics on phone thefts in London? I can’t see that the risk outweighs the benefits to be honest. Also I don’t think your average phone thief has the technology to get into a phone that has a PIN code to commit fraud - they’d have to get past passcodes and Face ID.

This is a story on the BBC news app today about a man whose phone was stolen on the London Underground. He had facial recognition and pin security but the thief/fraudster managed to bypass this, empty the man’s bank account plus take out a loan for £7000, which he pocketed of course. Ironically the phone owner had already tried to get a loan with the same bank, HSBC, and was turned down. The bank can’t explain why they agreed the loan with the fraudster. Phone theft on trains has risen by 56% since last year apparently. So, food for thought🤔

Oreyt · 13/12/2024 11:57

That's not possible.

TheGrinchIsComingToTown · 13/12/2024 11:57

EmpressaurusKitty · 13/12/2024 11:53

I’ve lived in London since mobiles first became popular & never had one stolen.

Keeping them in back pockets, or walking along holding them out, are both pretty stupid though. Put it somewhere out of the way & if you have to use it, stop somewhere or at least make sure you’re not on the outside of the pavement.

The way people talk about it, you'd expect that people were being held at gun point for their phones everyday.

I've spent so much time in London and never once felt unsafe. I feel safer there than I do at home sometimes.

Bunny44 · 13/12/2024 11:57

What do you think londoners do? 😂😂. I've lived here 15 years and never had my phone nicked. Just don't be an idiot.

LBFseBrom · 13/12/2024 11:57

How ridiculous, I live in London, always have, and my phone has never been stolen.

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 13/12/2024 11:56

Only until we go all borg-like and phones are linked to chips implanted in our hands 😂

workingtowards · 13/12/2024 11:56

Another Londoner here who has never had their phone stolen in 40 years of living here. The idea of "lawless London" does not fit with my experience at all.