Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Phone Theft Rising in Europe
Gangs are harvesting expensive mobile phones from pubs and clubs in major European Cities every weekend — the majority of which are then sold abroad.
Criminals are regularly traveling to locations to steal phones from unsuspecting revelers.
Some groups are targeting clubs and pubs at weekends and public holidays to swoop on valuable smartphones such as Samsung and Apple.
The gangs stay with friends or in budget accommodation in order to keep the costs down and ensure a profit — with some leaving the cities on the same evening having secured their bounty.
The phone thieves typically work in twos and threes, targeting packed nightclubs.
It is believed over two thirds of phone thefts occur during weekend nights in pubs and clubs.
Those who are “harvesting” the phones then take them to another person who organises the re-sale of them.
In many cases, the phones are sent abroad to prevent them being traced from the countries they are stolen from.
And in other cases, the phones are stripped down and different pieces from different phones are swapped around, resulting in a totally different phone.
Monday, 18 May 2015
Never forget your phone again: Apple Watch update will alert users if they leave their handset behind
Thursday, 12 March 2015
The following practical measures can help in preventing and reducing mobile phone theft
Mobile Phones:
·
Register your mobile phone with your service provider.
·
Take careful note of your unique 15 digit mobile phone International Mobile
Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. By pressing *#06# on your phone keypad the
IMEI will appear on the screen.
·
Enable the PIN Security feature and keep your phone locked at all times.
·
When out and about, keep your mobile phone out of public view, be streetwise
and always be aware of your surroundings.
·
Never leave your mobile phone behind in an unattended vehicle.
·
If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, contact your mobile phone service
provider immediately to suspend your service and prevent unauthorised calls
being made and billed to you.
·
Your provider will block your SIM card and IMEI number to prevent your phone
from being used on the mobile network.
·
Report the loss or theft to the Police, providing identification numbers for
your SIM card and IMEI number. This information may assist in the recovery of
your mobile phone.
Tablet
Devices:
Tablet
device owners should take great care of their property. It only takes a moment
of distraction for a thief to take your Tablet device. Along with cash, laptops
and tablets are the most common items taken in burglaries.
The cost of replacing the data contained on the device can sometimes cost more than replacing the hardware itself.
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Why Rice Will Not Fix Your Phone
To understand why rice will not fix your phone it is
important to grasp the effects that liquids have on a cellular device. In the
most extreme situation your phone will fry out when submerged in water due to
the impurities that are in the water. The sediment in the water allows
electricity to flow through resulting in completed circuits that typically
wouldn’t interact. In a less sever instance of water damaged the phone might
have still been submerged by water but still somehow managed to operate.
Fortunately, the phone did not experience enough completed circuits to be a
brick but may still have damage present. Specifically, when all of the water
dries away from the phone the same sediment mentioned earlier remains on the
phone. The only true way to hopefully correct existing water damage is to open
the phone and clean of all sediment with contact cleaner and a lint free rag.
Even with all sediment removed the phone might still be damaged in certain
areas that a circuit managed to complete and blow out. Typically if there are
any black smudges on the motherboard of a damaged phone there is a high chance
if partial damage.
So then what exactly does rice do and why do people use it? The extent to which rice helps a wet phone is that rice can help absorb liquid. However, even if the rice absorbs the water well you might still be left with a mess to deal with. Usually when rice is used it is done by placing the wet phone in a Ziploc bag or plastic tub. Rice and other grains have a tendency to become mushy and slimy when exposed to liquids. Mush and slime seem to like getting caked inside the creases and ports of a phone. Unfortunately the only real cure for water damage is to not expose your mobile device to liquid.
So then what exactly does rice do and why do people use it? The extent to which rice helps a wet phone is that rice can help absorb liquid. However, even if the rice absorbs the water well you might still be left with a mess to deal with. Usually when rice is used it is done by placing the wet phone in a Ziploc bag or plastic tub. Rice and other grains have a tendency to become mushy and slimy when exposed to liquids. Mush and slime seem to like getting caked inside the creases and ports of a phone. Unfortunately the only real cure for water damage is to not expose your mobile device to liquid.
Phone Insure
PDS/FSG made simple
Did you know that if your phone is under $500 RRP you pay
less excess?
$65 for Replacement, $35 for Repair and $35 if your Apple
device is damaged and replaced via Apple One –Year Limited Warranty.
All replacement devices for lost or stolen claims are brand
new and not refurbished like some competitors offerings.
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Thinking of taking your Phone to the beach? Think again!
Summer is here and its beach time however be aware of the
dangers the beach can bring especially if you have your mobile phone with you.
One of the most common causes of damage is liquid damage,
you wouldn’t have a shower with your phone or bring it in the bath with you, so
why does it seem like a good idea to take a selfie in the middle of the ocean. It
is one sure way to ensure your phone will suffer liquid ingress that leads to
the phone shutting down. Salt water will cause damage faster and in some cases
more damage than mains water.
On the beach you use sun screen to protect you from the rays
and prevent damage to your skin. Your mobile can also suffer damage as a result
of prolonged direct sunlight. We have had cases where screens have cracked,
melted, or have gone yellow as a result of heat and sunlight damage to screens.
Make sure you have a good cover and keep the mobile out of direct sunlight this
will mitigate the above happening.
Sand also can cause damage to connectors, charging points,
headphone jacks if it gets into your mobile so be mindful of this. This can
lead to charging ports not working and failing to charge in some circumstances.
Make sure you have a good cover for your mobile , keep it
dry at all times and out of direct sunlight and sand .
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Mobile users are getting inventive with their excuses for lost or damaged phones
A FISHERMAN who claimed a snapper
jumped out of the water and snatched his mobile phone is among the most
bizarre excuses given for losing handsets.
Hapless users are also wrecking devices by dropping them in hot chocolate and toilets, and taking them into the shower.
The weirdest and wackiest reasons submitted to insurers for ruined or misplaced phones include a customer who dumped one in a saucepan of hot chocolate.
Dogs, spiders and horses have also been blamed for damage disasters.
One said a horse stomped on a handset and smashed it to pieces, which a dog then ate.
Another reported her boyfriend ran over her phone with a lawnmower before their pooch chewed on the strewn mess, Optus records reveal.
Other insurers said some people tried to dry out phones in microwaves and ovens or put them in the freezer to cool batteries.
Optus mobile marketing vice president Ben White said while some claims may sound far fetched, many unusual situations were possible given people now took their handsets everywhere.
“We’ve processed millions of claims over the years so we’ve heard it all. People are generally honest but we do follow some up more thoroughly,” Mr White said.
“Lost and stolen claims need to be reported to police and damaged devices need to be handed in. We check account details and also look at a customer payment and claims history.”
Sunbury’s Bailee (OK) Rezell said his Galaxy Mini malfunctioned after it dropped, smacked his face and fell to the floor as he was checking social media in bed about a year ago.
“I was lying on my back and was on Facebook when I dropped it. I had a bump on my forehead and the screen had a little crack in it and I couldn’t turn it back on,” the 16-year-old said.
“Luckily it was my birthday soon after so my parents got me an iPhone.”
Risk Insure’s John O’Sullivan estimated Aussies lodged 1.7 million claims annually industry wide for accidental damage, loss and theft.
“It never ceases to amaze me what some people manage to do,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“Some have said they have taken them into the shower as they think they are waterproof. Others have given them to kids as a teether that they blubber on.”
Insurance claims spiked after boozy public holidays and the festive season, he said.
There was also a rise ahead of new model releases, which fraud experts closely monitored.
karen.collier@news.com.au
Twitter: @KarenCollierHS
Originally published as ‘A fish stole my phone’
Hapless users are also wrecking devices by dropping them in hot chocolate and toilets, and taking them into the shower.
The weirdest and wackiest reasons submitted to insurers for ruined or misplaced phones include a customer who dumped one in a saucepan of hot chocolate.
Dogs, spiders and horses have also been blamed for damage disasters.
One said a horse stomped on a handset and smashed it to pieces, which a dog then ate.
Another reported her boyfriend ran over her phone with a lawnmower before their pooch chewed on the strewn mess, Optus records reveal.
Other insurers said some people tried to dry out phones in microwaves and ovens or put them in the freezer to cool batteries.
Optus mobile marketing vice president Ben White said while some claims may sound far fetched, many unusual situations were possible given people now took their handsets everywhere.
“We’ve processed millions of claims over the years so we’ve heard it all. People are generally honest but we do follow some up more thoroughly,” Mr White said.
“Lost and stolen claims need to be reported to police and damaged devices need to be handed in. We check account details and also look at a customer payment and claims history.”
Sunbury’s Bailee (OK) Rezell said his Galaxy Mini malfunctioned after it dropped, smacked his face and fell to the floor as he was checking social media in bed about a year ago.
“I was lying on my back and was on Facebook when I dropped it. I had a bump on my forehead and the screen had a little crack in it and I couldn’t turn it back on,” the 16-year-old said.
“Luckily it was my birthday soon after so my parents got me an iPhone.”
Risk Insure’s John O’Sullivan estimated Aussies lodged 1.7 million claims annually industry wide for accidental damage, loss and theft.
“It never ceases to amaze me what some people manage to do,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“Some have said they have taken them into the shower as they think they are waterproof. Others have given them to kids as a teether that they blubber on.”
Insurance claims spiked after boozy public holidays and the festive season, he said.
There was also a rise ahead of new model releases, which fraud experts closely monitored.
karen.collier@news.com.au
Twitter: @KarenCollierHS
Originally published as ‘A fish stole my phone’
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