Your mobile is probably the most expensive piece of kit you carry around with you. Mobiles are fun and useful, and nearly half of all people aged between seven and sixteen own one.
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But: thousands of mobiles are stolen by street robbers every month, and many of the victims are people like you and me.
So here's a few simple tips on how to keep your mobile safe.
- Don't carry your phone where it can easily be seen - like dangling from your belt or out of your pocket.
- Don't leave your phone unattended - like in your bag or in a car.
- Switch your phone off when you're in school. Even better, don't take it at all unless you really need to.
- Use your pin number to lock your phone when you're not using it. And keep your pin number secret!
Did you know?
If your mobile is lost or stolen you can have it cancelled by telling your phone company, e.g. Orange, O2 etc, a special number, called an 'IMEI' number. You can find out what your phone's IMEI number is by keying in the following:
into your phone.
Try it now!
You will see a long serial number. Write this down and keep it in a safe place. No other mobile has this number. If you give this to your service provider they will stop your phone being used by anyone else.
Or ....
Use the link on the right hand side which takes you to a website called immobilise.com. You can register your phone on this website, which is supported by UK police forces. This will increase your chances of getting it back if lost/stolen. It can stop someone using it after it has been stolen, as long as it is registered with them and if you ring them to tell them it has been stolen.
Easy, isn't it?!
Mobiles are great for keeping in touch with people, whether it's by phone or text message. But sometimes you may get a call or a text which you don't like. If this happens, tell your parent or carer right away.
