Statistics tell us that around 88% or people don’t leave home these days without their mobile phones. Reliance on these incredibly popular and useful devices means that losing one can result in some serious headaches.

Increasinglly compact and lightweight mobile phones mean that they are easily lost, misplaced or fall out of pockets. In 2008 around 200,000 mobile phones went into washing machines, around 600,000 were dropped down the loo and 55,000 were left in the back of taxis.

We must also consider the very real possibility that a phone may be stolen. More than 2 million mobile phones are stolen in the United Kingdom every year. This means that around one is stolen every 12 seconds and this frightening figure is on the increase.

If a mobile phone is lost there is the initial financial headache of replacement. There may be significant call charges amassed during the time between when a phone is stolen and when it eventually gets disabled. Then there is the impact of lost data, especially contacts.

It is estimated that fewer than 2 in 10 mobile phone users keep their phone SIM card data backed up to a separate device. Although most phones come with software that makes it easy to backup data from the phone to a computer few people take advantage of this.

So what steps can be take that will help protect us against loss or theft of our valuable mobile phones?

1. The first thing is to make it difficult for a thief to actually steal your mobile phone. Keep it somewhere secure and don’t ever leave it unattended in the car or anywhere else.
2. Make certain you record the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of your phone. This is a number that is unique to every mobile phone and can be used to disable a phone if it’s been lost or stolen.
3. You can set your mobile phone to only operate after a configured PIN has been entered. While it can be a nuisance to have to enter a PIN each time you want to use your phone this simple step will stop a thief from running up significant call charges on your account.
4. Another simple suggestion is to switch your phone to silent alert or vibrate mode when in busy public places so that no one is alerted if your phone rings.
5. You might consider labelling your mobile phone by engraving your name and car registration details onto your phone and its battery. An alternative is to use a system for attaching unique serial number stickers (as provided by trackitback.com) to your mobile phone as this will help identify the phone if it is lost or stolen.
6. Get into the habit of backing up your SIM card data as often as possible. As a rule, if you are adding new contacts and appointments or notes to your phone every day you really should be backing up your phone data every day.
7. Finally, make certain that you have some mobile phone insurance that provides the protection that you need. Remember that not all mobile phone insurance policies are the same so be certain to read the details and ensure that you get the cover that you want.

Hopefully, by following these simple steps you will avoid becoming one of the lost or stolen mobile phone statistics.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You may also like to protect your income with income protection and don’t overlook the need to protect other devices with some useful gadget insurance.

Spyware problems get the spyware doctor download here.