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 like having my life on my phone, more convenient than a handbag and wallet

It could still be snatched or fall off the clip.

No! I will continue to be sensible. Don't walk along with it out and don't use it on public transport. If I need to look at it I pop inside a shop to do it

When I'm travelling I probably will print my train tickets and a map/list of where I need to be. Plus keep a card separate from my bag and phone. Because I'd be utterly screwed if my phone was snatched so I can at least pay for things and prove I have a ticket to get home.

I never pay for anything by phone anyway because to me a card seems much easier - when I was all over London last week I just kept the card I was using for the tube in my coat pocket so it was more accessible than my phone anyway.

Except all travel tickets, etc are mobile now - at least where I am. Even if I wanted to leave the phone at home, it's just not practical for many people anymore.

Too many people are reliant on their phones. Sick of dodging people walking along the street glued to their phone. Pretty sure they are not all following google maps.

I don't use my phone to pay for anything and, shock horror, I sometimes go out and leave my phone at home!

The crime rate is similar to other large densely populated cities and lower than many. My point is that it isn’t the most crime-ridden place in the world out there. The crime rate also varies wildly by specific areas of London. It isn’t uniform. But people are getting the idea that the whole of London is dangerous.

Any large city is similar in that there are notoriously nasty areas. Yet we don’t see the same determination on SM to portray the whole city as bad, as people do for London.

As a PP said though, if someone wants to stay away that’s fine, if a few people decide not to come the queues will be a little bit shorter and the buses and tubes a bit less crowded!

Many areas are worse for crime than most areas of London https://www.churchillsupportservices.com/resources/news-insights/most-dangerous-areas-in-england-and-wales-2024/www.churchillsupportservices.com/resources/news-insights/most-dangerous-areas-in-england-and-wales-2024/

And for violent crime London isn’t even in the top 10 https://www.get-licensed.co.uk/get-daily/the-uks-most-violent-cities/www.get-licensed.co.uk/get-daily/the-uks-most-violent-cities/

Use a low-budget smartphone that will be less attractive to thieves and less suggestive of you being wealthy.

@Pippy2022 so how am I supposed to purchase my DIGITAL train ticket and use my DIGITAL bank card?

This is what happened to my colleague- he was making a call on the street in London, he phone was snatched and within 2 minutes they had locked him out of his phone, his Apple account, and his email account (which can then be used to reset your passwords for online accounts).

I have three other colleagues I’m quite friendly with, they’ve all had their phones stolen in the last 6 months - one abroad, the other two in London, two were pickpocketed rather than snatched. One of them (in her twenties) says all her friends have had their phones stolen at least once.

The amount of morons people you see walking along in London paying no attention to anything except their phone in their hand is staggering.

When someone lowlife on a scooter rides past and takes a phone out of someone's had I doubt they know what make it is.

People just need to be aware of their surroundings and not put themselves in a vulnerable position.

Using earbuds is one way of doing that.

Not waving your phone around in public or walking around with your head down looking at ticktock videos is another.

My partner buys his train ticket at the station?

The one in her twenties must have a small group of friends

Its much nicer having tix on the phone

Yeah no need for banking apps because we can just nip into the bank instead… oh wait silly me

No, mine can't. I have proper security in place. Not that I've ever had a phone stolen

I know on person who has, twice, but he's a dope and very careless 🤷‍♀️

Right!

I don't use banking apps and don't visit a bank.......

YABU

And rather snippy with people who disagree with you. Don't come on AIBU if you aren't willing to take into account people who disagree with you.

Never had an issue with my phone - nor has anyone else that I know. People need to be sensible.

Or just buy a cross body bag, we recently bought one and it’s brilliant

Also I would hazard a good number of those "stolen phones" in the quoted stats were nothing of the sort.

What are you so scared of then?

Are you talking cash is king?

The difference is your phone is becoming increasingly vulnerable now to fraudsters who can access your life savings. Banks and phone companies can't guarantee your details are safe anymore.

But thank you. This did make me chortle.

I just use my cards?