How to Trace a Stolen Cell Phone
When someone has stolen your cell phone, you can report the incident to your local police department and then use tracking software or a GPS system to locate the phone from the Internet. As long as your phone number is listed on the National Registry of Cellular Numbers (NRCN), it is possible to locate the phone and track any usage within minutes.
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Instructions
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AccuTracking
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1
Begin your cell phone search with AccuTracking. You will need an existing account with the AccuTracking service to trace the missing phone. Log in with your username and password and wait for the map to appear on your screen (See the Resources section).
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2
Review the map images results. The map will reveal a colored point that indicates the location of the phone; clicking on this point will show you the history of the phone's locations, and the exact latitude and longitude of the phone.
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3
Determine if the phone has been used. You can select from different map styles and time ranges to pinpoint exactly where the phone is now, and where it has been used.
Sprint/Nextel Phones and Mapquest
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4
Login to your Mapquest Find Me account. Enter your username and password in the designated fields, and select "Login" (see Resources).
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Review the maps. The map will show you exactly where the Sprint/Nextel handset is located using the GPS system.
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Report the location. Contact the police officer handling your case and give him the details about the location of the phone; he may ask you for the address, or latitude and longitude information.
Sprint Mobile Locator
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Point your browser to the Sprint Locator service website (see Resources).
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8
Trace the location of the phone. Sign in to your account using your username and password; wait for the Sprint Locator to reveal the location of your phone.
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Report the location of the stolen phone. Contact the police officer handling your case and give her the details about the location of the phone; she may ask you for the address, or latitude and longitude information.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are not registered with any phone locator services, or do not have a GPS-enabled phone, your best resource will be the local police department.
You will need to prepay for most phone locator services and sign up for an account before the phone has been stolen.
Some GPS and locator services cannot find phones that are not turned on, are buried in a car or are under clothes, or if the battery has run out of power.
Resources
- Photo Credit cell phone image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
