# My new cell phone was stolen yesturday. I'm an idiot. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892 "2013-12-09T14:59:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/21 "2013-12-09T20:36:20Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Yes, it is called “Android Device Manager” and doesn’t require downloading or installing anything on the phone itself. > > From any browser on any computer with an active internet connection, simply log into the primary Gmail account assigned to your phone and then, in the URL field of your browser, type in: [https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager](https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager). If the phone is on, you will be shown exactly where your phone is on a map. Wow. This one tip repays me for all the time I spend reading the Dope. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/22 "2013-12-09T21:23:26Z")
There is a free app called AndroidLost that not only locates your phone on a map, but enables you to control any function of the phone remotely from any web enabled device- send/recieve texts, take pictures, turn the phone on, set off an alarm, wipe/lock data, you name it. It also does not have to be installed on the phone prior to being lost, it can be “pushed” to a lost phone and started remotely (the phone does have to be on for the push). Not shilling, but I did register my current phone and played with the online interface. It seems to work as described on the app store page. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/23 "2013-12-09T22:10:11Z")
The possibility of sex would let any guy be more willing to trust. If it makes you feel any better, I probably would have done the same thing. Who just walks off with a phone? Put her picture from the dating site (assuming she has one) into a search and stalk her on other dating sites. Be persistent, she probably won’t be pulling this scam again for a while if she does. If you get lucky and she uses the same picture, arrange a date again and this time, be careful. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/24 "2013-12-09T22:41:23Z")
What yoghosoth said. You know how to do a Google search on an image, right? Then if you found her, go to the police again and offer them to set a trap. Easiest conviction they will make that week. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/25 "2013-12-09T23:11:15Z")
People will pretend to go on a date just to walk off with someone’s phone? JFC. :mad: That is a lot of effort to go through just for a lousy phone. Even for an iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/26 "2013-12-09T23:11:23Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > do android phones come with a “find my phone” feature? There are apps for that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/27 "2013-12-09T23:12:57Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Yes, it is called “Android Device Manager” and doesn’t require downloading or installing anything on the phone itself. > > From any browser on any computer with an active internet connection, simply log into the primary Gmail account assigned to your phone and then, in the URL field of your browser, type in: [https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager](https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager). If the phone is on, you will be shown exactly where your phone is on a map. I didn’t know about this one. Thanks! This is cool, and has been duly bookmarked in my browser. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/28 "2013-12-10T03:38:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Dating someone new is scary enough without having to be worried about getting targeted by thieves. > > You do realize the dating site will have her real name, address etc? She had to pay the subscription fee with a credit card or paypal. The cops could easily find this lady if you filed a police report. > > Either way, you need to notify the web sites admin about this lady. So she doesn’t use her dating profile to target other men. Seriously? It was likely one of the free sites. And if it wasn’t, do you really think the phone thief didn’t steal a credit card? Oy. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/29 "2013-12-10T03:55:48Z")
**(((MyFootsZZZ)))** That just really bites. But, you might get some schadenfreudist pleasure at thinking about how much her life must suck that she is resorting to going to online dating sites just to steal from people. I’m really sorry this happened to you. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/30 "2013-12-10T05:08:54Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > What yoghosoth said. You know how to do a Google search on an image, right? Then if you found her, go to the police again and offer them to set a trap. Easiest conviction they will make that week. Do you seriously think that the police are going to spend any time on this or give a shit at all about a cell phone? They have way more important things to do. As if they’re going to waste the valuable time of one or two cops to wait on a “trap” that may or may not happen set-up by a guy naive enough to lose his cell phone that way all to get a meaningless conviction for petty theft. Sorry that this happened to you, **Foots**. I hope that it’s a lesson learned. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/31 "2013-12-10T05:36:46Z")
I know sometimes you’re really hard up, but seriously, if a woman you meet online wants to get together immediately, there is a nearly 100% chance that she’s trying to scam you in some way. I am frankly amazed she turned out to be a woman at all. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/32 "2013-12-10T06:13:35Z")
One - It’s a $ 200. phone. You fucked up but get over it. In the scheme if things it’s nothing, it’s a speck of dust. That you were not rolled or physically assaulted in the process of being robbed is what you have to be grateful for. On your knees grateful for. You got off very light. Move on. Rolling around on the ground about it accomplishes nothing. Two - Telling to police was (real world) a waste of time your phone is gone. You will not see it again. Your real loss is just the $ 100 insurance deductible you will have to pay to get a replacement. That’s your total loss. It’s a dinner and drinks for two at a mid priced joint. Again… move on. Three - Beyond the $100 hit the real, and much more important issue, is that you’re a 33 year old grown man sounding and behaving like a teenager. Why? Why are you making immature and foolish decisions even though you are were warned point blank by your parents that what you were doing was utterly foolhardy? Why do you keep putting your hand on the hot stove again and again? This isn’t naivete this is willful “no one’s the boss of me” obstinance. It’s amusing in a toddler, annoying in a teenager, and potentially deadly in an immature grown man. You need to put the phone loss in an experience box, put it on the shelf and move on. You need to focus your efforts on understanding what your adult responsibilities are, not thinking with your cock, listening to reliable people who give you advice, and stop behaving like a child. Your life is going to continue to be litany of misfortune unless you take concrete steps to put your shit in order. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/33 "2013-12-10T07:47:56Z")
Wow as I was reading that I was picturing the OP as being around 19. Not 33. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/34 "2013-12-10T11:49:27Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Do you seriously think that the police are going to spend any time on this or give a shit at all about a cell phone? They have way more important things to do. As if they’re going to waste the valuable time of one or two cops to wait on a “trap” that may or may not happen set-up by a guy naive enough to lose his cell phone that way all to get a meaningless conviction for petty theft. In my experience, police like a sure and easy thing just like the rest of us. My bike was stolen once and when I saw the stolen bike parked somewhere in a shopping district, I called the cops and they gleefully came to wait for the thief to unlock the bike so they could make an easy arrest. And bikes in the Netherlands are worth less then a phone in the US. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/35 "2013-12-10T12:34:50Z")
You’re out $200 for the phone. Did she also charge you for the “date”? Was the dating site CraigsList? ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/36 "2013-12-10T13:10:15Z")
It was Plenty Of Fish, ([POF.com](http://POF.com)) Those of you saying I’m immature, you’re probably right. I would say I’m naive and ignorant when it comes to dating. I’m also way too trusting. Thank you for the verbal smack in the face everyone. I wouldn’t have posted this if I didn’t want some people to give me the hard truth. Most of you are absolutely right. I printed out her pictures from the dating site to give to the cops. I wrote down everything I know about her, (IF what she told me was the truth), But like others have said, the police probably have much more going on than to worry about some ignorant person’s cell phone. I’m out about $275 bucks including the cell phone, it’s case, and it’s mini SD card. I am lucky I didn’t get hurt, and all I lost was a cell phone. **LESSON LEARNED!** The silver lining is that I know not to trust anyone right away. It all happened so fast. But I’m over it. My first post was dramatic, but I’m feeling much better now. I’ll try to man-up. I wasn’t just pissed about my cell phone. I was excited to be on a date. That doesn’t happen too often. She was pretty and _seemingly_ nice. Again, thank you for all the messages; Those that sympathized with me, and those who were frank with me. I might not be as mature as I would like to be, I might be naive, but I’m a good person. I’m proud of myself for that. Nothing anyone here can say that will offend me because I think being a good person is one of the most important things in life. And I know I strive to be that. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/37 "2013-12-10T13:11:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You’re out $200 for the phone. Did she also charge you for the “date”? Was the dating site CraigsList? Nope, and nope. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/38 "2013-12-10T13:16:51Z")
Well, I agree that the police are probably not going to do much here. However, if no one ever reports thefts and scams then the powers that be can go on bragging about how much they have lowered the crime rate. OP, you might be somewhat naive but that’s a lot more appealing than the harsh cynicism displayed by some in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/39 "2013-12-10T13:23:48Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Well, I agree that the police are probably not going to do much here. However, if no one ever reports thefts and scams then the powers that be can go on bragging about how much they have lowered the crime rate. > > OP, you might be somewhat naive but that’s a lot more appealing than the harsh cynicism displayed by some in this thread. +1 ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892/40 "2013-12-10T13:23:54Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Well, I agree that the police are probably not going to do much here. However, if no one ever reports thefts and scams then the powers that be can go on bragging about how much they have lowered the crime rate. > > OP, you might be somewhat naive but that’s a lot more appealing than the harsh cynicism displayed by some in this thread. Thank you kayT, that’s really nice of you to say. I do agree with a lot of what people are saying. I really need to “grow up”. I just want to stress again that my parents are more involved in my life than most people my age because I seriously need the support. I have learning problems. The reason I care so much about my parents is because they WANT me to “man up”, and when shit like this happens, I feel like I’ve let them down. The speeding ticket and a few other things this month haven’t helped. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-cell-phone-was-stolen-yesturday-im-an-idiot/675892.md?page=3)