2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsLosing cell phones worse than suspected
Ashley Bath
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
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According to online research, 96 percent of students own a cell phone, with those numbers rising everyday. This little electronic device has become so much a part of life as we know it, that when it turns up missing it feels as though life itself has stopped.
Losing a cell phone, however, can have more serious repercussions than students might be aware of. Besides feeling completely disconnected from friends and family, panic sets in as to exactly where and who might have the device now.
According to a recent CBS Consumer Watch report by Jeanette Pavini, it is estimated that 600,000 cell phones will be reported stolen this year.
In matters of lost and stolen cell phones, time is of the essence. If people are lucky, they will realize they have lost their cell phone sooner than later. Instead of wasting that time panicking and retracing one's steps, it is imperative to file a report to both the police and your cell phone carrier company.
All wireless companies have a strict policy and procedure when dealing with lost or stolen cell phones. Unlike many banks that will reimburse the money that might have been lost due to a stolen credit or debit card, cell phone companies hold their customers responsible for charges to their cell phone at all times, even if it is lost or stolen.
It seems many of these companies are aware that their policies are unpopular. AT&T Wireless (formerly Cingular Wireless) refused to even explain their lost or stolen cell phone policy, advising to look it up at their company's Web site instead. T-Mobile said their customers would pay all charges regardless since they can't know for sure at what point in the call history the phone was stolen. "This is just our company policy, sorry," a representative said.
Regardless of the company, it seems they all follow the same general sort of procedure for reporting and replacing a lost or stolen phone:
Report the phone lost or stolen and suspend the account temporarily, whether that is by dialing a number, going to their website, or simply going to their store.
Losing a cell phone, however, can have more serious repercussions than students might be aware of. Besides feeling completely disconnected from friends and family, panic sets in as to exactly where and who might have the device now.
According to a recent CBS Consumer Watch report by Jeanette Pavini, it is estimated that 600,000 cell phones will be reported stolen this year.
In matters of lost and stolen cell phones, time is of the essence. If people are lucky, they will realize they have lost their cell phone sooner than later. Instead of wasting that time panicking and retracing one's steps, it is imperative to file a report to both the police and your cell phone carrier company.
All wireless companies have a strict policy and procedure when dealing with lost or stolen cell phones. Unlike many banks that will reimburse the money that might have been lost due to a stolen credit or debit card, cell phone companies hold their customers responsible for charges to their cell phone at all times, even if it is lost or stolen.
It seems many of these companies are aware that their policies are unpopular. AT&T Wireless (formerly Cingular Wireless) refused to even explain their lost or stolen cell phone policy, advising to look it up at their company's Web site instead. T-Mobile said their customers would pay all charges regardless since they can't know for sure at what point in the call history the phone was stolen. "This is just our company policy, sorry," a representative said.
Regardless of the company, it seems they all follow the same general sort of procedure for reporting and replacing a lost or stolen phone:
Report the phone lost or stolen and suspend the account temporarily, whether that is by dialing a number, going to their website, or simply going to their store.
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