Losing a smartphone can cause serious panic, because for many it is worse than losing a wallet or house keys. This is because, in addition to the material side of the issue, your phone stores a lot of important and private information about you and your family. The thought that this information can be lost is frightening, but what’s even worse is that this information can become available to strangers.
Luckily, there are many effective options for finding your lost phone. Moreover, if your smartphone or tablet runs iOS or Android, you already have the software needed to find it. There are also many third-party apps that you can install to track your phone. About everything in order in our article.
Content
- Is it possible to find a person by phone number - modern technologies Legal and illegal methods
- MTS Locator
- Find My Kids - Where are My Children
- Google Maps
Is it possible to find a person by phone number - modern technologies
Finding a person with only his phone number is indeed possible even for ordinary citizens. Using what technologies?
- Most mobile operators offer a geosearch feature.
- There are a number of mobile apps that allow you to find a person or device using a phone number.
- Some online services provide the ability to track a person's location.
- Often the device search function is included in the mobile devices themselves.
Legal and illegal ways
First, let's pay attention to scammers and their websites, which claim that for a certain fee they are ready to find a person by phone number. On YouTube, for example, there are dozens of videos that tell how you can easily and simply track the movement of the right person. The link under the video may lead to a site where you can purchase useless software. What’s more important is that you may be subject to criminal or administrative liability for using such illegal programs.
The only legal way to track a person’s location is with the consent of the subscriber himself. What to choose and which method will be really effective? Let's try to figure it out.
Geolocation services of mobile operators
Leading mobile operators provide geolocation services to their customers. It can be automatically included in the tariff or require a separate connection through an operator or in your personal account. The operating principle of all companies is the same and is based on the LCDS platform. This option works subject to the subscriber's consent. Let's take a quick look at the features that different operators offer.
MTS Locator
This function is different from similar ones. It is possible to track a person's location using it only with the consent of this person and adding him to the list of friends. To do this, you need to send a message to 6677 with the number of the user you want to track. The service is provided free of charge for the first 14 days (trial period). Subsequently, the system withdraws 100 rubles from the account per month for 100 requests.
You can learn more about the service provided by MTS here https://www.mpoisk.ru/.
Megafon Radar
Mobile operator Megafon provides the service in three variations: RadarLight, Radar, Radar+. It is convenient because it allows you to track the phones of not only Megafon users, but also other operators - Tele2, MTS, Beeline. 99 requests available per day. Subscribers' consent to provide their data is required. This consent may be revoked at any time. It is possible to save the history of movements, entries and exits outside a certain zone. You can connect up to 5 people. The cost will be equal to the number of people + 3 rubles per day.
About the service – https://radar.megafon.ru/landing
Beeline Locator
Available to users of Android smartphones and tablets. To use the function, you need to download a special application from Beeline, only once receiving permission to track from the desired subscribers. The system will provide the most accurate coordinates if the wanted person is located within the city, because There are fewer stations outside cities - in this case it is more difficult to search and the coordinates will not be so accurate. The location coordinates will be displayed on the map. Subscription fee – 7 rubles per day.
More details – https://locator.beeline.ru/#/landing
Geosearch from Tele2
The Geosearch function works on both IOS and Android. Allows you to find out about the movements of friends and family over the last 3 days with their permission, of course. Location data will be sent to your phone via SMS. The first 3 days the service is free. Then - 2 rubles per day.
Details can be found on the mobile operator’s website – https://geo.tele2.ru/app.
Samsung Find My Mobile
Use the service
Devices from the manufacturer Samsung (they also use the Android operating system) have their own service - Find my Mobile. This service is presented not only in a mobile version, but also as a website (you need to activate your account on it). Once logged in, the user can track the location of his smartphone on the computer.
In order for the program to establish a remote connection, the phone must be connected to the Internet. Then the user will be able not only to see where the device is, but also to even perform certain actions - call the phone, block it, send an SMS and quickly erase all data from the system.
Advantages and disadvantages
Send last location to user (needs to be configured in advance)
Remote lock screen, power button and payment system
Loud ringtone playback when lost in a small area
Copying data to the cloud
Free apps to locate a child or other person
On GooglePlay and AppStore you can find a huge variety of applications for tracking by mobile phone number and phone location. Some are equipped with the ability to intercept incoming and outgoing information (calls, SMS messages, files, videos and photos).
Be careful not to stumble upon scammers. Read reviews.
Here are some useful and reliable software for determining the location of a person or child:
Find My Kids - Where are My Children
The service monitors the child’s location online. The Where My Children app has a number of advantages:
- determines the child’s location by phone with an accuracy of 3 m;
- works equally well on both iOS and Android;
- works via GPS;
- records movement history;
- allows you to add an unlimited number of children for free;
- Supports Surround Sound function.
The program has a built-in family chat function. You can define “green” zones (a list of places on acceptable routes: “home”, “school”, “swimming pool”, “grandmother”, “kindergarten”, etc.) and the system will send alerts to your phone if a child has left the permissible boundaries of the “green” zone (even if it is an area where there is no GPS). In addition, the application accumulates all the data, which makes it possible to subsequently view the child’s route for the day. It does not require a phone number to work.
See where your child is right now and listen to the sound around their phone. Install the “Where are my kids” program from the AppStore or Google Play.
GPS tracker Geozilla
This is an app that aims to provide safety to families all over the world. It helps you find your family and friends in real time; receive notifications when they come home or leave work; get your movement history over the past few weeks and stay in touch with loved ones in a private chat. Works on Android and iOS. There is a free trial version.
Zoemob
This application is created for the Android platform. The built-in maps store places where family members visited, and you can even track the speed of a person’s movement. There is a built-in private family chat function where you can exchange messages.
Life 360
Works on any phones. This is a kind of social network where you can exchange messages. Some sections are free. However, there is also paid content.
Sygic Family Locator
The company specializes in navigation aids. The software she developed can be downloaded for both IOS and Android. It has a flight tracking feature. There is paid and free content. Advanced features are available only to premium account holders.
Friend Locator
The free application allows you, with permission, to track the movements of an unlimited number of friends on a map.
Online Phoneradar
Works on all platforms. Allows you to track the places where a person has been, find out the history of calls and correspondence.
Geolocator
Another similar application with a built-in baby monitor. It registers on the map all places of stay of the child/relative. And it works on all platforms. It is possible to designate safe zones.
Remember last actions
Remember your last movements, actions, when and where you were with your smartphone. Maybe they called or looked at messages, what did you do next. Slowly walk along the intended route of your movement, carefully examining everything around you. Typical places where small items are most likely to get lost:
- space behind the sofa, armchair;
- shelves, tables and other surfaces littered with books, papers and other things;
- the clothes you came in from the street in.
It is not uncommon for a smartphone to be found in the most inappropriate place for it, for example, in the refrigerator or trash can. Everything should be considered, even the most unusual options.
If there was someone else in the apartment when the phone disappeared, ask for help in searching, ask people, maybe someone took the device to make a call or take a photo, and then put it in another place or automatically put the device in their pocket . More often this concerns children, who can take the gadget to play and then “identify” it anywhere.
Tip: Use a flashlight to look in dark and hard-to-reach areas, such as under a sofa or closet.
Other search methods
Google Maps
This is a built-in Android system application. It allows you to track the location of a subscriber’s movements over a certain period of time - a day, a week, a month. The route is indicated by dots and lines on the line graph and is automatically saved by the system.
Find My Device
Another Google development. Registered users can track listed subscribers and exchange SMS messages with them in the built-in chat. With its help you can find your missing phone. But when geolocation is turned off, the accuracy of the data is significantly reduced.
System function "Find device"
On both iOS and Android devices, you can enable the “Find Device” function in the gadget settings (the name of the function may differ on different models). Internet connection and geolocation enabled are required. You must enable the “Remote Search” option in your phone menu. In order to find a device, you need to go to the “Find Device” website.
On iPhones, the function is connected in a similar way.
To prevent attackers from disabling it, set passwords for the corresponding sections in Settings or check the “Prohibit changes” tab.
Tracking by IMEI
Each gadget is initially assigned an IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identifier). When you first connect to a mobile network, this number is automatically recorded in the database. This code can be found: under the battery, in the warranty card, on the original box, by entering a special combination of symbols and numbers on the device.
If you lose your phone/tablet, you can contact law enforcement. They will search for it by imei number. But they will provide information to you only if you have the original documents and box, as well as strong arguments in favor of the need for a search. There are also special programs for tracking a device by IMEI.
Setting up and activating android device manager
All Android devices have standard geolocation installed. To activate it you need to go to settings. For the system to start working, you need to install the Android Remote Control utilities. It can be downloaded from the Play Store. Commands to the utility will be issued via the web interface.
To enable this application you must:
- Go to settings.
- Go to Security and click on Device Administrators.
- Select the option with Android remote control.
- After an alert appears with the capabilities of the tool, click activation.
After this, you need to close the section and link your Google account. Thanks to this, all functions of the tool will become available, and the user will be able to erase personal information if the Android device is stolen, find it on the map, or display a message on the screen.
Finding a smartphone at home
If you need to find an Android phone at home, a loud signal will help. It can be submitted if:
- open the browser and go to your profile;
- press security;
- open a window displaying the phone name and click on it;
- Select the “Call” button from the list of actions.
After this, the loudest signal will be sent to the smartphone, even if the sound is turned off.
Message or call to a lost phone
If your phone is stolen, you can block it and send a message to the attacker. To do this, log into your account, go to the “Security” section and select your smartphone. Then just click on the phone lock, indicate the password, message and feedback phone number in the form that appears.
Blocking and deleting all data if it is impossible to return the gadget
If you lose your Android phone, you need to take care of the safety of your personal data. To erase them, the Internet must be connected. But there is a possibility that some information will remain on the memory card. If the phone is found, it will not be possible to recover deleted files.
To destroy data, you should log into your account and, by visiting the “Security” section, select a device. Next, you need to click on “Delete all data from device” and confirm the action.
