Cell Phone Security

Your cell phone. It's your lifeline! It's your phone book! It's your portable photo album! So, okay, maybe it's time to invest a little time theft-proofing your cell just in case it gets stolen. While the best protection is commonsense stuff (for example, keep your phone in a zipped purse or the front pocket of your jeans) there are a bunch of other measures you can take.

1. Know Your Phone. Note down your phone number, SIM number and/or IMEI number, the make and model, and your provider name and 800 number. If your phone ever disappears, you'll have all the essential info at your fingertips for reporting it stolen (to the police, your provider) or advertising it as lost (via Craigslist, your local paper).

Remember: call your provider immediately that you realize your phone is missing. One cell phone thief can rack up horrible long-distance charges in just a matter of hours, so deactivate your account or have the number disabled as soon as possible!

2. Lock it With a PIN. Most cell phone thieves want instant but short-term access to your phone service, not so much the phone itself. After all, they know once you discover it's missing you will cancel service on the device, rendering it basically useless.

So here's a sure way to ruin a thief's day: keep your key pad locked with a security PIN number. They won't be able to make calls or access your personal information ... and in the meantime you'll have time to notify your provider of the theft and have your account deactivated.

3. Store Personal Info with Caution. Speaking of personal stuff, one way to protect against damaging -- or just plain embarrassing -- identity theft it to simply limit what kinds of personal information you keep on your phone. Think of it as the only no-fail, low-tech security option.

4. Consider Anti-Theft Software. Companies like Gadget Trak now offer software that aims to put you in control of your phone remotely should it be lost or stolen. Other software, like iHound, use GPS technology to help you locate your missing iPhone or iPod Touch. If you keep everything on your portable device, this is an option you should look into for peace of mind.

5. Don't Assume the Worst. Could be your phone is just lost and some fine citizen is out there wanting to return it to you. There's the downside to locking your phone with a PIN: said fine citizen can't access your phone book to track you down. Oops! Solution: consider programming your cell to display your email address or home phone number even when the keys are locked.