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.

This

I am just back from a break to London and was mindful of this but mine is on a strap I wear like a bag and kept it under my coat

This equally applies to expensive watches and other jewellery.
We should just be in sackcloth and bean necklaces. That'll teach them

It can be a pain a checkout when it can’t scan your face properly and wants your passcode.

People need to be more aware of their surroundings and not walk around staring at their phones, oblivious to who is around them. When you look at the videos of phone thefts in the city, that is generally what is going on. You wouldn’t just stand on a high street with £350 cash in your hand blithely not paying attention, so don’t do it with an expensive phone.

No, I don’t think Londoners or anyone else will leave phones at home. That’s OTT and defeats the purpose of them. Many people use phones for directions, checking public transport timetables and ordering Ubers etc.

That said, although I have passcode/Face ID on my phone, my Monzo app is not password protected which is something to think about. I do walk with my phone out sometimes, the reason being I have poor direction skills and often use google maps to get around!

I’m going to find out if I can get some kind of passcode put on the monzo app, but it’s not my main account where my salary gets paid so I’m not too worried. I have nationwide for that which does have a passcode on the app.

When I’m not using my phone though it’s always in a zipped bag or pocket and I’ve never once lost it or had it stolen in my life and I’ve spent most of my adult life in London although I don’t live there now. Nowadays I actually work from home and don’t go far in my quiet town most days, so it’s even more unlikely I’d get it stolen on an ordinary day although I do go into my nearest big city a couple of times a month.

I never used to take my Smart phone to work .. when I said to my line manager “I don’t bring my phone to work” - she looked at me and said

“WHY???” 🤣 as if I’d just said the most preposterous thing ever !

Disingenuous, especially for those of us who live & work in London. Phones are wallets, train / tube tickets etc. I never access bank apps in public though, just in case.

Although when someone’s playing their phone at full volume on public transport, & has refused to turn it down, I’d applaud anyone nicked it.

With 2FA, I couldn’t access half the stuff I need to at work if I didn’t have my phone!

Most of the important information on my phone is backed up to the cloud ie contacts, photos etc and are synchronised to my iPad which rarely leaves my house. I deliberately don’t have my bank app on my phone, it’s on my iPad so I do all my banking transactions when at home. I’ve not yet has a situation when I need to contact my bank from my phone but if my card is stolen while out shopping, the number to phone is in my contact list. I hope that makes me safe enough but I could be wrong!

Sorry I’m being a bit naive here what’s 2FA?

I am not addicted 🙄 However I work in London, I have a mobile phone provided by my employer which I need for work, and even if I didn’t, these days we want to be able to make calls, use maps and ticket apps etc.
If you were driving in London and your car broke down, how would you phone your rescue service? Phone boxes are not a thing anymore. Or do you think driving in London is Really Dangerous too?

If you NEED to use your phone when walking down the street, face inwards towards a wall etc?

otherwise just keep it in your pocket till you get where you're going?
Also get a lanyard case

It's not realistic for most of us.

My train tickets are on my phone. My bank cards are on my phone. What am I supposed to do?

Don't be absurd. Millions of Londoners are walking around with smartphones every day. You can't get into any apps on my phone without my fingerprint.

Sorry, my fault. When I try to log in to some stuff on my work laptop, it sends a code to my phone & I have to enter it to prove it’s (probably) me.

You can tell a mile off from behind when someone’s walking along staring at their phone. Their head is bent slightly & they’re walking slowly. They’re definitely not paying any attention to possible thieves.

It’s most annoying when they’re doing it on steps & blocking everyone else’s way.

Just don't wave it around in your hand and keep it in a bag or secure pocket unless you're using it and don't be a phone zombie. I'm amazed at the number of people who carry phones in their hand

Ah I’m wivvya!!

2 factor authentication!!

I have so many apps that have this that I’ve got to take 2 phones out and about with me - my current one and my archaic one !!

You would use a flip phone/brick, you know, like back in the day when phone theft/bank fraud wasn't 'a thing'.

Well, stop putting your life on your phone.

Nobody is being hostile. They're just pointing out that this is a massive overreaction, not practical for most, and defeats the object of a phone being mobile.

So I'm assuming you take the time to print off every ticket you buy, for trains, theatre, cinema, the zoo and pack them with you, buy a newspaper if you want to read the news, take a printed book rather than read an e-book, always have a diary with you for adding dates to your calendar? Sounds like a heavy bag. And if someone swipes your bag, you're in just as bad a situation as if I lose my phone, which has all my tickets, loyalty cards, e-books and news on it. Poor dear, being so addicted and reliant on your home printer and your handbag.

People just need to stop walking around holding their phone in front of their face as if it's some sort of landing strip for their mouths.

This. Keep it in your bag. That's what I was told by cab drivers in London last week. Seems sensible.

Er, what?!? I’ve read some crazy stuff before but surely if you leave your mobile phone at home instead of taking it everywhere with you, it kind of stops being a mobile phone and is almost just the same as having a landline? The convenience of having it on you has got to outweigh the risk of losing it.