To think we will have to leave our phones at home

[Pippy2022]

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.

I live in London. Generally my phone is in my bag, which could also be snatched! But I need these things with me. I'm aware of my surroundings and don't take stupid risks, that's all you can do.

no with stuff like 2 factor authentication you wont be able to do anything WITHOUT your phone, much like china,

If you're really worried get a lanyard or wrist strap so it can't be pickpocketed or snatched. But most people will still use them to pay for the tube and other contactless purcahses so they're not going to leave them at home. Personally I always but the 'mini' version of the iPhone so I can put it in a front jeans pocket or small inside jacket pocket and try not to ever use my rear pockets.

I don't get my phone out in public at all. It's safely in an inside pocket and I only use it if I'm in a cafe. Why does everyone walk down the road looking at their phones? When we didn't have phones in the 70s and 80s we didn't miss them. And yes I use my phone for work, banking and everything else just not in public.

I'm not in London. But I regularly visit other English cities, one of them ancient and touristy, the others large, busy and full of people and their gizmos and gadgets. I keep my phone in my bag or pocket as much as possible and use a watch to tell the time, but I sometimes have to use Google Maps in the open. An area that's busy with pedestrians and not popular with cyclists is usually OK (most cyclists aren't criminals but those criminals who are cyclists can get away faster.)

My student son had his phone stolen in London a couple of weeks ago. In the 30mins it took him to get to a police station to report it thetheives managed to unlock his phone, access all his cards, transfer money from his bank account, use Apple Pay to buy clothes and shoes, changed his email address and access all his passwords.

The phone was locked and had facial recognition, all his passwords were completely different and he had 2 step verification. It's taken 6 weeks to rectify and recover everything. Never underestimate the skills of these thieves.

Sorry that should have said a *few weeks ago

I do not have the energy to work out what the percentage of phone theft is out of the number of smart phone users in London but i am guessing that is is not shockingly high. I don't live there but have family and friends who do and only one of them has had their phone snatched in the street. Horrible experience for them of course but that is one theft in the past 15 years in my immediate circle.

Just attach them to a lanyard as suggested and put double verification on all of your accounts so that they are more difficult to hack.

So long as you are aware of your surroundings when using a phone, you are at no more risk of having it snatched as you would be having a bag snatched (with all your money/cards inside) or being pickpocketed. Keep the details of your cards separate so you can call and cancel them easily (I think there are services you can register with that sort it all out with one call) and keep a payment card on your person/separate so that you can always get a train/taxi home and use a public payphone.

Just basic security that most 15 years olds can manage, really.

A friend had £70k stolen from their account within half an hour of having a phone stolen in London. These thieves know exactly how to bypass security. It's not just kids on bikes doing it and selling them on to make a few quid, these are professional gangs doing it.

this thread has made me laugh.

I did a quick search. Apaprently 200 bags are stolen in london daily. So I guess we should all stop carrying handbags!?

I don't understand why risk assessment is so hard. The very small number of phones that get stolen (as a percentage of the overall number of phones) makes the risk really small and seems totally irrelevant to me. In addition, in the same way that we have hopefully all learnt to keep our bags close to us, not to leave them lying around etc to minimise the chances of our bags being stolen, we also need to be sensible about how we use and carry our phones.

That is what I do, never ever have it out in public. It is always in my bag and I only use it when in a cafe and never have it out of my sight. The same as I do with my purse and cards. All put away in the inner pockets of my cross body bag. Yes, people do get robbed and it is horrible but I try to be as careful as I can.

The issue is numptys walking down the street with their head glued in their phone not paying attention to their surroundings so their phone gets snatched by a passing cyclist.

I always keep my phone in my bag, only take it out if I really need to in a shop. If I hear it beep whilst I'm walking it can wait. Only time I get it out is if I get a call and then I hold it tight and am aware of my surroundings. Just like when I use a cash point.

Sorry if I'm being dense, but what is the purpose of stealing a phone? Is it to gain access to banking apps etc.? Surely there's not much of a market for stolen smartphones now that basically everyone has one? Or is it for people using them as "burner" phones? Can a smartphone be a burner phone or does it have to be a dumbphone? Clearly I'm not very well-informed in this area...

What is the point then, in having a mobile phone if you leave it at home?
just be sensible, don’t flash it about on the street or public transport keep in zipped in a bag or pocket I mean we could stop doing loads of things just because there are people who might steal etc but I’m not convinced that’s how I want to live.

Theft is the reason I don't put any apps on my phone except for whatsapp. Its an old phone as promoted by Mr T Rex but does its job. I wouldn't put my life on a phone and certainly no banking apps, too risky.

So? Just use your phone sensibly as others have said. I go to London a lot and have never been robbed or had my phone stolen.

I only ever use my phone for an occasional phone call or text when I'm out. Or if one of my dc is bored in a hospital waiting room and wants to play a game on it. If I leave my phone at home when I go out I might as well not bother having one.

I only go into the office once a week, however if I do use my phone it’s in and out of my pocket or a pocket on my bag. I don’t just wander around with it.

As PP said bank apps have security.

The picture BBC used for the article is apt. I would bet most of the phones stolen were from back pockets, snatched from hands on the street or pickpocketed. All of which can happen to your wallet. You just have to take the same precautions with your phone as you do your wallet.

Generally my phone is in my bag, which could also be snatched!

I've given my teens girls and boy this style of bag;

Drop Leg Bag Motorcycle Waist Pack

Clips round the waist and leg - so has meant both my DD wear fewer dresses and skirts - all zip pockets. It goes easily under coats - but it so close the body that they'd notice someone fiddling with zips near their crotches - harder to snatch as two points of contact. They seem to love them - same as handbag carries all their stuff.

Less good for phones if already out - I may look at lanyards for them - but the teens and us are generally situational aware and sensible and while that not 100% protection it is basic common sense.

You don't need to leave them at home. Just put them away in your bag and don't walk along looking at them, getting in everyone's way and being completely unaware of your surroundings (and the thieves on their fat bikes).

PS yes a bag could be snatched but I have a rucksack which is more difficult, and a lot of bags now have an inner pocket which thieves can't get at.

I don't have banking apps on my phone as I have never needed to use them out and about anyway, they are on my iPad if I need them for verification at home

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8y70pvz92o

First thing I thought on reading this story was "what idiot leaves it possible to get into your internet banking without some sort of protection on your phone".

It's perfectly safe to still carry your phone as long as you are sensible and have all the relevant protection in place.

I also have my phone on a lanyard when travelling in London, or any densely populated place. If I am walking anywhere and need to look at a map, I either step to the side, or stick an airpod in (never both) and listed to the instructions being given. The phone is then put in an inside pocket to reduce the risk of being pickpocketed.

My phone, when locked, cannot be unlocked without either Face ID or a pin code. When locked, you cannot even access the control panel to put it on airplane mode, or turn it off, so I can track it on Find My, unless the battery dies or they put it in a Faraday cage.

All my banking apps require face ID and/or comprehensive second factor authentication.

Just as you'd never go to work and leave your front door wide open for people to go in and help themselves, make sure your phone is as locked down as is possible and the worst that could/should happen if it's stolen is that you have to buy a new one (or in my case resurrect an old one).

There was a company I worked at in central London that had to put out a corporate announcement as people returned to work after lockdown eased and people were having phones nicked in the street by people on e-scooters/mopeds, I’m sure their usage though was in clear view because the thieves wouldn’t bother otherwise.