A friend of a nomad we know had her phone stolen.
She's on the other side of the world, her entire professional life runs through that device, and she had no backup plan in place. Every account she owns uses SMS codes or app-based authentication tied to that single phone.
This is the PSA she wishes someone had made her sit down and read. 👇
SAVVY TIPS
KEY TO YOUR LIFE? ESSENTIAL PHONE SAFETY TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Most people assume the threat to their phone is some sophisticated hacker. It's not. The most common way people get completely wrecked is a thief who watched them type their passcode at a bar or on the metro, then pickpocketed the device. In parts of Latin America,, armed robbers have also been known to demand your passcode.
(Author’s note: I have been relieved of my phone on two different occasions.)
The best way to handle photo security? Assume you’re going to lose it, and prepare accordingly.
The first thing you should do right now: if you have an iPhone, turn on Stolen Device Protection. This forces Face ID plus a time delay for any sensitive account changes when your phone is away from home. Consider this full setup:
1. Always travel with a backup device. Buy a used iPhone or a local Android-based device. Having a spare phone means that if your primary phone disappears, you're not stranded. Consider using the backup phone in high-risk situations, such as public transit or crowded nighttime venues.
2. Back up your phone and WhatsApp to iCloud regularly. This is a simple setting change. If your phone is stolen and you have last night's backup, you restore everything to your backup device. That way, you won’t lose access to irreplaceable photos.
3. Use a password manager across multiple devices. This one has a small learning curve but it is genuinely game-changing. Tools like 1Password (or similar alternatives) generate and store strong unique passwords for every account you have, and they work across your phone, your laptop, and your backup device.
4. Know your account recovery options before you need them. Set up an Apple Account Recovery Contact. Add a recovery email to your Google account. Create a recovery key. Then, actually test the process from a borrowed device before you're in a crisis. Knowing that recovery is theoretically possible is very different from knowing exactly what steps to take at 2am in a foreign city.
5. Use an eSIM or set a SIM PIN. A physical SIM can be popped out of your stolen phone and dropped into another device, giving a thief access to your SMS verification codes. An eSIM eliminates that risk entirely and makes getting your number onto a new device significantly easier. If you're still on a physical SIM, at minimum set a SIM PIN.
6. Keep your phone's IMEI and serial number on record. Store them in your password manager. You'll need these to report the theft to police and to your carrier quickly, which matters for suspending the SIM and flagging the device.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS ANYWAY
Get to any other device immediately. A laptop, a friend's phone, whatever is available.
If you have an iPhone, log in to iCloud and use Find My to mark the device as lost. This locks it remotely. A smart thief will turn the phone off immediately so it can't be tracked, but it will enter lost mode the moment it comes back online.
Call your carrier and suspend your SIM so nobody can receive your SMS verification codes. If you have an eSIM, your carrier can help you transfer the number to a new device remotely.
Set up your backup device and restore from last night's iCloud backup. Reinstall WhatsApp and restore it from its own iCloud backup to get your chats and contacts back. Call your carrier to get your eSIM number moved over.
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