South Africa’s high crime rate makes it vital that you secure your belongings, whether at home or in public. Take special care to keep your digital devices safe – the combination of easy portability and high value makes them more attractive to burglars, pickpockets, smash-and-grab robbers, and bag-snatchers. What might concern you even more, is that having your cellphone stolen can expose your personal data and digital banking accounts to criminals and identity theft.

Recent statistics analysed by the Institute of Security Studies reveal a sharp increase in phone theft. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), on average, 189 cellphones are stolen daily in SA. If your phone is stolen, or even if you misplace it and can’t remember where, act quickly to limit your potential losses.

1. Call your bank

Contact your bank as soon as you realise that your phone is missing, to deactivate your banking app and remove any digital tokens from wallets like Apple Pay, Garmin Pay, Google Pay, etc. This will stop thieves accessing your money through your banking apps and digital wallets. If you're a Nedbank client, you can do this 24/7 by calling 0800 110 929 or using the Money app, Online Banking, or Cellphone Banking *120*001#

2. Report the theft to SAPS

You must report the theft to the police not only so that your phone can be identified and returned if it’s recovered, but also so that the service provider can blacklist the phone with the IMEI number, making it harder for thieves to resell. You’ll need a criminal case number to submit an insurance claim, too – and to open a fraud case with your bank if the thieves steal from your accounts. SAPS sometimes recovers large collections of stolen cellphones when raiding a syndicate – if your phone is among them and you’ve reported it stolen, it will help in the prosecution of the criminals.

3. Contact your mobile network provider

Next, report the theft to your cellphone service provider. They can deactivate your SIM card, preventing any unauthorised use, and issue a new one, ensuring you regain control of your number. Changing or deactivating your phone number means that the thieves can’t use it to receive OTPs if they request digital banking changes, like a new PIN. Nedbank’s digital security measures, including biometric ID, offer an extra layer of protection for your accounts.
 

4. Submit an insurance claim for the phone

Being a victim of crime always feels like a violation, and at a time like this, you'll be glad that you've insured your phone against theft. At least you won't have to suffer further financial loss on top of the trauma – submit a claim to your insurer as soon as you have a case number. Remember, however, that theft insurance on your phone will cover the cost of replacing the device itself only – it doesn’t cover any financial losses if the thieves get access to your bank accounts.

Preventative measures: Fortify your defences

The steps above will help you protect your digital banking and finances if your phone is stolen, but prevention is better than cure. The following tips can help keep your devices safer:

• Use tracking technology
  Both Apple and Android phones now have 'find my device' features. Activate this feature to share your phone location with people you trust – and so that you can remotely locate it, lock it, and erase the data on your phone if it's stolen. However, don't use this feature to try to track down criminals and recover your phone yourself – you should pass any location information on to the SAPS officer handling your case. Access the ‘find my device’ feature through the official website or app bought from their app store – not through links in an email, message, or social media. Fraudsters may create ‘find my phone’ phishing messages that ask you to click on links that access fake webpages – and then harvest your phone passwords.
   

• Remember that passwords are your first line of defence
  Use a password manager to generate strong, unique passwords for each digital login. Using a variety of strong passwords and changing them regularly helps protect you from cybercriminals targeting your personal data. If your phone is stolen, change all your digital banking, email, and social media passwords right away.
   

• Use biometric locks
  Use a fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock your phone.
   

• Enable 2-factor authentication
  Some websites and email providers don’t offer this feature, or they make it optional. Only use accounts that offer 2-factor authentication to log in or make other transactions, and choose that setting to add an extra layer of security.
   

• Remember regular backups
  Back up your data to the cloud or another secure location, to make is easier to recover information if your phone is stolen.
   

• Be aware of trending scams
  Stay informed about the latest security threats.
   

Losing a phone is distressing, and having one stolen is even worse. But don't let the emotional upheaval distract you from taking immediate steps to prevent further losses. Learn more about cybercrime and how to fight it.