I lost my cell phone. Help!
We have all been there before – our precious cell phone has suddenly gone missing and we have no idea where it is. We do a quick check of all the places that we normally put it; it is not there. We then try and rehash every event from the time we last remember having our mobile phone to the time when we first noticed that it was missing. We try calling our cell phone in the hope that the ringer is on and that it is going to be somewhere nearby. But when all of this fails us, we are left worrying about where our phone is and we have no way to find it other than hoping that some switch will flip in our brain and we will all of a sudden “remember” exactly where it is.
How can we increase the likelihood of actually finding a lost cell phone? GPS tracking!
Some readers might exclaim: Wait a minute, how can a lost cell phone be found with GPS tracking?
Well, you have to understand that this little bit of technology is extremely useful and is now becoming a big part of the cell phone market. If you have not already heard, GPS stands for the Global Positioning System and is a series of satellites that emit a radio signal that can be read by specialized GPS receivers. These receivers then use the information encoded in these radio signals to do a little math called trilateration which will then ‘inform’ the GPS device of its exact location on the globe. This is the way that all GPS device work from navigation GPS to marine GPS.
GPS tracking can begin to occur when the position information is either gathered by the device and stored locally or is sent out from the device so that real time GPS tracking can occur. Cell phone GPS tracking is of the second variety, and this is a key fact if it is to be used to help a person find their lost cell phone.
Once the cell phone has found its exact location using GPS or by a very similar mathematical process using cell phone tower signals it can send that information out over the wireless network to which it is connected. All the cell phone needs to be is turned on for this entire process to happen without a single thing being done by the user. You could be 5 miles away from your phone and as long as it is one and receiving a signal you can find out exactly where it is in real time.
But there is something that you need to do if you want to make this system work for you as a way to locate a lost cell phone. The first thing you need to do is verify whether or not your phone is actually GPS enabled. Chances are you chose the phone that you did because it had GPS, but if you are uncertain contact your service provider to make sure.
Then, you are going to want to find free GPS tracking software that is going to be compatible with the phone that you are using. This should not be too hard because there are literally dozens of free options out there for cell phone tracking. Also, if you feel like paying for something that you could do for yourself for free then you could always go with a one of your provider’s tracking plans. I have seen a family plan for a little as $5 a month depending on your current service agreement. While this is a nominal payment, it is ∞ more expensive than free! If you can get the same service for free, why not do it?
Anyway, (getting off my high horse) no matter if you pay for the tracking or get it for free you are definitely going to need to have a data plan that will permit your GPS tracking. Most people already have some sort of data plan anyway and if they don’t they are not the type of person to be worried about losing their phone because it only cost $40 bucks and isn’t a Blackyberry, Palm Pre, or iPhone. The reason that you need the data plan is that your cell phone will have to send the information about its position to you for the real time GPS tracking to work like you want it to. You can’t find your lost cell phone without your cell phone telling you where it is. It can’t do that if it doesn’t have any way to send its coordinates out over a wireless network.
I would even recommend getting a pretty robust data plan because of all the great things that real time cell phone GPS tracking can be used for. For example, cell phones make great fitness GPS tracking devices. A lot of people take their phone with them anyway when they run in case they get into an emergency or in case they get a call from work or whatnot. There are plenty of ways that you can safely and easily bring one along and it can do so many different things for you while running that cell phone also make great fitness tracking devices as well. If you download the right software, your phone can give you all sorts of interesting workout metrics like your distance run, your average speed, your time running, and it will even put all this information on a map for you to look at when you get home.
Another example of the usefulness of cell phone tracking with GPS is its use in keeping teens honest about their activities and their driving habits. Since most teens are connected to their phones at the thumbs, cell phones are the best GPS tracking for teens on the market. It is relatively cheap, it is simple to use, and you know that your teen will never go anywhere without their cell phone.
Still another useful application of cell phone tracking is its ability to provide fleet tracking support for small businesses. This is a pretty novel application of free cell phone GPS tracking, but I think that in the right environment it could work extremely well for a small company looking for ways to save money but still implement a technology that is going to help them route their drivers better, perform more service calls, and develop better customer interactions.
As you can see, cell phone GPS tracking not just a way to find a lost cell phone – it can provide a great many other benefits to people with enough imagination to think big about its application. But it is nice to know that if you ever do end up loosing your cell phone that GPS is going to be there to help you recover your phone and get back to life as usual.
You can learn more about how GPS can be instrumental in finding a lost cell phone in this article: Lost Cell Phone GPS Tracking Explained
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi
I have last mobile on 17-09-09 at 9.40pm, kindly help to me for tracing the handset.
Make: Nokia
Last dialled No.: [removed]
E – Mail for Communication: [removed]
Missing Date: 17-09-09
IMEI No.: [removed]
Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Vinaya Kumar ms
Hello Vinaya,
Unfortunately, I cannot help you with your missing mobile phone. I am not associated with any cell phone provider and do not have the capabilities to trace your handset.
If you have already installed some GPS tracking software on your handset then you don’t need anyone to help you find your mobile phone, just log in to your tracking software website and you can find out where your phone is if it is turned on and getting a GPS and cell phone signal.
If you have not already installed some GPS tracking software than I am afraid that you cannot track the phone using GPS.
I wish you the best in finding your lost mobile phone.
-Joe
Hello;
I lost my mobile, nokia supernova 7610, on the 16fh of September… I cannot find it or call it, probably because the battery died or someone might have it…
What do I do? I don’t know the IMEI number or anything… and I live in Dubai, United Arab Emirates…
Can you help me please?
Thank you.
Extra info…
I had it last with me really late around 12 am-ish… I might have made the last call around the same time, too.
Hi Sara,
Unfortunately, I am completely unable to help you. I do not work for a cell phone provider and I do not have access to anything that could help me find your phone. I am sorry that you have lost your phone and that your battery is now dead. Hopefully, someone will find it and return your lost mobile phone to you so that you can have all the information that you keep on it back.
-Joe
Hello,
I lost my cellphone on the 19th of September, I have had it that day, but on Thursday I could no longer find it. I went to school, put the phone on silent, it died, so I left it all day dead until I came home from my friends home and charged it up. Not sure if I put it back on full volume, I was texting and soon went to sleep.
At least- that’s what I think happened ^
Now- I CANNOT find my cellphone! I’ve been looking everywhere and it just won’t show up! Calling it many times I did, and tried looking around my house everywhere!
What else can I do?
Hi Maria,
I really don’t know what else I could suggest for you to do without knowing some more about your phone and whether or not you have GPS enabled on it. Do you have a Blackberry or iPhone? Have you turned on the GPS feature of your phone? Do you have some GPS tracking software installed (like MobileMe, InstaMapper, Loopt, etc)? If you do then you might be able to find out where you phone was the last time that you had it.
If your room is a little messy then you might want to consider cleaning it up really well if that was the last place you remember having it. That way you can see if you can find your cell phone by doing a thorough cleaning.
Still another way to track down your cell phone is to find out who you sent your last text to. You might be able to do this on your cell phone providers web site, but you can certainly do it by asking around to your friends. If you can find out when the last time you sent a text hopefully that will jog your memory as to where you were when you sent the text which will hopefully help you find out where you left it.
Unfortunately, with a cell phone that is off there is not really a technological solution to your problem. Hopefully something works and you can find your phone.
-Joe
i hav juss lost mah samsung sghc450i …the theif haz switched it offf ..becuuz it requires a pass word to swicthopen …..evn i donot remmebr the IMEI NOMBR………PLZZZ HELPPPPP MEE
Hi Saravanan,
I’m sorry. I wish I could help you but I simply cannot. I don’t have anyway or to assist you, but I do hope that you find your phone soon that you can return to using it as you normally would.
-Joe
My mobile is lost in party in Vashali, G.Z.B.
my mobile tracker is also off. Now u tell mee what can i do.
” PLEASE HELP ME ”
Hi Anmol Soni,
I’m sorry you lost your cell phone at a party. Was this a party at a friend’s house? Was it a party at a a public place like a part or street? Or was it a party at a club, restaurant, or skating rink? Depending on where you lost your cell phone will inform how you should go about getting it back.
If it was at a friend’s house then you should go over there and talk to your friend and see if you can find your phone. It should be easy enough if they do no have a very big house. If it was at a club or restaurant then I would recommend going to that place and asking around and seeing if anyone has seen your phone. Very often people will turn in lost phones to the staff of an establishment.
If the party was one at a public place then your cell phone might be lost forever. You might want to go back to the place where the party was and see if you can find it.
You will not be able to track your cell phone with GPS since it is turned off. Sorry.
-Joe
hi. i had just recently lost my cell phone and i do believe that my gps tracking is on, how do i find my cell phone, i also have google map set up on my lost cell phone do u know of any way I can locate it
thank you
Hi Loryan,
If the GPS tracking in your cell phone is on, then I would recommend that you get into contact with the service that you are using. Most GPS cell phone tracking services are done online and all you have to do is log on and find out the location of your phone like you normally would.
I know that you said that the GPS tracking is on, but are you sure that this is the case? Having your GPS turned on is very different from having your GPS tracking turned on. Many phones give you an option of turning on or off your cell phone’s GPS for use with other applications. For example, the Palm Pre uses your GPS location to serve you better ads on your phone. Just having your GPS turned on will not allow you to track your mobile phone.
Instead, you generally need to have had installed special GPS tracking software onto your phone that will allow your phone to be tracked. There is plenty of free software available for certain cell phones, but there are also many different paid options as well. If you have installed one of these services on your phone, your phone is on, and your GPS tracking application is on then you will be able to find out where your lost cell phone is. If you don’t have those on then you are out of luck.
Hopefully you are able to find your lost mobile phone.
-Joe
hey i lost my cell phone in my small house today and cant seem to find it i need help please i dont have a gps with me nor do i know how to use it on the internet i need help really bad its a sanyo sprint cell phone katana 2 [NUMBER EDITED] need help
Hi Joseph,
If your house is small then you should have a much easier time finding your lost cell phone than if your house was large. The first thing that you might want to do is have a friend come over and repeatedly call your phone until you find it. This will work great as long as the phone is on and is set on a normal ring. It should still work even if the phone is on vibrate, but you will have to listen much better.
If your phone is off and you have no idea where it is then the best thing to do is to go through your house systematically, starting with the place that you most likely suspect will contain your lost mobile phone. If you go through systematically enough you should be able to find your phone eventually.
I hope that helps and that you have some good success finding your phone!
-Joe
Hello;
I lost my mobile, HTC P3400i, on the 24th dec.… I cannot find it or call it.
What do I do? I don’t know the IMEI number or anything… and I live in Haryana, INDIA.
Can you help me please?
Hi Arie,
HTC P3400i looks like a pretty cool phone. I’m sorry that you lost it. Unfortunately, I cannot help you find it using GPS tracking since I personally don’t have the ability to do so. I recommend that you try and figure out exactly where you lost your mobile phone by doing a mental reconstruction of that day. Once you figure out where you lost it you will be able to figure out if you are going to find your lost phone.
Thanks for your comment and I wish you the best of luck in finding your HTC P3400i.
-Joe
I lost my mobile at 24/01/2010 and I have his IMEI no so plz help to find my phone It consist a Reliance Sim Its no. is +919770885338 If anyone have the idea or know my mobile location plz contect me @ this Id
Satnamiaman@yahoo.com or call me +919630156303
Hello Aman,
I’m sorry that you have lost your phone. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that there is anything that anyone on this can do to help. I know that there is nothing that I can do to help, at least.
The thing is that we do not work for a cell phone company so we do not have access to information that might prove useful to you in finding your phone. Also, if you live outside the United States I am unsure that they have the same laws about the records that a cell phone company must keep about the location of a cell phone when it makes a call. It could be that you could find your lost mobile phone by going through all the places that you might have misplaced it and looking for it there. If this does not produce your phone then I think you might be out of luck. I know that stinks to hear but I am afraid it might be the truth.
Using GPS tracking to locate a lost cell phone only works if the phone has a tracking program installed and it is on. Otherwise it simply won’t work.
-Joe
i have lost my samsung star 3g gt-s5603 and its imei no. is 355013030816940.pls help me.
Hi Joe,
I lost my new Blackberry Bold 9700 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is there any chance that you can track it for me. I already reported the incident to the police but I am not sure if they can really help me.
Thanks in Advance
Hey, I lost my samaung j700. It has a mobile tracker but I do not know how to locate it. It was lost on my way from town to school. I just can not remember where exactly. Please help me.
I lost my mobile LG KG195.
hi, i lost my new NOKIA 2700 CLASSIC phone today afternoon around 1.30 at deira dubai, the IMEI number is 358324035002320… even if i dont get it i want to block the phone .. i really dont want the theif to use it too. It was an anniversary gift and had lots of emotional value to it.
if you have any info abt blocking it or finding it contact me on my email address!
regards,
hope the world was a lot more honest! we wudnt have any such issues.
Hello sir;
I lost my mobile, sony ericsson k530i, on the 24th april.… I cannot find it or call it.
What do I do? I know the IMEI number 359019010608146.
Can you help me please?
Hi,
My Sony Ericsson Equinox – Ocean Blue had been stolen on May 12 and can you please help me if you could
thank you
The phone number is 626-592-7149
Hey, I lost my EnV3. All I remember is leaving in on silent, so that doesn’t help. I can’t call it, and I just don’t know where it is! Please help me!!!!!
I think my phone has been stolen! It is still on, well it is still ringing. I have all my Info on the phone. Can you HELP????
Hi Cnbennett,
Unfortunately, I only have helpful tips and no answers for where your phone is. I always recommend trying to retrace your steps to see if you can find your phone that way. IT has been incredibly helpful for me in finding much more than just a lost cell phone.
Also, if you have a GPS tracking application installed on your phone you could always try to use that to find out where your phone was before it shut off. This can be helpful in finding out where you last put your phone or in letting you know the actual location of your phone in real time.
I hope you can find your phone!
-Joe
need to track where someone is to save or move on from a marraige
Hi James,
I am sorry that this is happening to you! I would look into cell phone tracking or car tracking device. Either should work for what you need it for. With cell phones you can get it for free, but with a dedicated car tracker it will cost you at least a $100 or more. The car tracking device will cost much more expensive but it will also be more covert. A cell phone will be cheap (free!), but is a lot easier to find.
The choice is yours.
-Joe
I lost my phone on 6-10-2010 my ringer was off and I walked around for 6 hours and could not find any trace of my phone. today i’m going to file a police report because I know the phone is off right now. Please help me!!!!! The phone # is [phone number redacted] Please help me!!!!!
& any suggestions
Hi Jeremy,
Sorry, but there nothing that I can personally do to get you your phone back. I really wish there was. If you have a GPS tracking application on the phone you might want to check that and see where it is, but if you don’t then you might just be out of luck. Sorry.
-Joe
Hi
I misplaced my phone the other day and can’t seem to find it it has loopt on it
but how do I locate it plz help
Hi Nick,
Since Loopt is a social tracking application, I would do one of two things. The first is to get a hold of one of your friends that has Loopt too and ask them to pull up your phone and find out where it is. I would try and do this as fast as possible since your phone’s battery may be close to dying or already dead.
If that is not an option, go to Loopt’s website to find out where your friends are and check and see if your location is on Loopt right now (if that is even an option). If your location is on Loopt then just go there and find your phone.
Hope that helps.
-Joe
dear sir,
I have been lost my mobile .Sumsang mobile model number gt s5233s & IMEI number [number redacted] if you can be find the lost mobile that please help me.
Hello Parvindra,
I am sorry that you lost your Samsung – those can be really nice phones. Unfortunately, I cannot provide any assistance in helping find it. I hope that you can find it!
-Joe
Hi,
I lost my samsung and i know it’s somewhere around my house; i don’t have the GPS tracking. What do i do?? Help me!
Hi Katie Star,
If you are certain it is around your house somewhere there are a few different things you can try. The easiest is trying to give yourself a call from another phone. If your phone is still on and the ringer is turned on as well you will be able to hear the ringing cell phone and discover its location. This is probably the easiest way to find a lost cell phone.
If that does not work or the phone is not on, then I recommend mentally and physically retracing your steps until you find your phone. Start with the last time you remember having the phone and then work from there. Eventually you should find the cell phone unless someone else moved it, stole it, or hid it.
I hope that helps.
-Joe
hi
i’m in a critical case , please help me
my younger brother left home days ago & i don’t know where he are & he don’t reply my calls. i do much more than anyone can imagine & i’m lost between web pages days ago to find a method i can find him , i wanna know his location to back him home again & say i’m sorry to him.
is there a softwear that i enter his mobile number then it gives me information about his location like in telecome police, what is it? where i can find , how much ,….etc.
i need any information may leads me to him.
thanks
Are you people incapable of reading. HE CAN NOT HELP YOU WITH LOST PHONES. It has been stated more than once. Or is rading comprihension right out the window? I understood what he put the first time. Dont be stupid, if you read the comments the first time you would know by now that HE CANT HELP YOU>
Hi Joe, I have an iPhone 3GS, so I DO have GPS, and it’s gone. How do I track it? Do I have to go to AT&T to have it tracked? Or is this even possible?
Thanks,
Carter
Hi Carter,
You are right, the iPhone 3GS does have a built in GPS. Unfortunately, if the GPS function was not turned on when it got lost or stolen you are out of luck. I know a lot of people turn off the GPS function on their smart phones because they drain battery life, but if you left it on you are in good shape.
Assuming that you left it on the next thing that you need is some sort of GPS tracking software installed on your iPhone. In other words, you need a special app for that. It could be an app built for just such a problem – like Apple’s MobileMe – or it could be one of the many social GPS apps out there. Either way, if your app has some sort of web interface where you can access the information concerning the whereabouts of your phone you can do that and you will find the lost cell phone.
If you don’t have such an app, or if your phone is turned off, or out of battery then you are out of luck – sorry. GPS won’t help you find your lost cell phone. You will have to revert back to finding it the old fashioned way by backtracking your steps.
-Joe
Unfortunatly i lost my blackberry pearl well i didnt actually lose it i misplaced it to be exact, and i still have not found it. So HELP would be greatly appreciated! If you guys can do that with your GPS navigation system that would be awesome!
Thank’s!!
BTW: Here’s my mobile # if you need it by any chance to locate where my phone’s at [number redacted]
Hi Joe,
Today, August 4th I have unfortunately lost my cellphone, which is a Nexus One. I’ve searched EVERYWHERE in my house, even the bathroom! but no such luck…. I even called it a few times but it is turned off. And it was in my house the whole day so I’m doubtful a thief took it and turned it off. Also, it was a gift from my dad because he works for Google &he told me something like it has GPS in it and I can track it down. And my question is how do I use this GPS from my computer? I didn’t install any tracking app. into my phone so I’m not sure what am I supposed to do. Plus I don’t want to go to my dad right away because a)he’ll be super pissed. b)he’ll probably never get me a phone again. c)i’ll be grounded. So is there any way I can track it down?! Should I just call my cell phone provider people? So HELP PLEASE!
- Martina
I lost my iphone and it does have gps but i dont know how to access it. Please help!!!
It dosent have any apps to help ie. mobile me etc