It will be a week tomorrow that my car was broken into and my pocket book was stolen with my wallet and iPhone.  As I mentioned in the first post I wrote about the situation there were so many things that I had to do immediately to ensure that the thief could not do any more damage.  If this experience yields no attempts at identity theft then I will be forever grateful to a clearly higher power that has intervened on my behalf.  Rather than beat myself up any more for the mistakes I made I want to share the things that I learned from this.  I will break this up into at least two parts so that it doesn’t get too wordy.

iPhone

For any smart phone users, if you haven’t already, please please please protect your phone with a passcode.  For iPhone 3G and 3Gs users that have a Mobile Me account remember to set up the Find My iPhone feature.  For iPhone 4G users this feature is now free (as it should be for the other models in my opinion). This feature allows you to set a passcode remotely, wipe out all of the data, and identify the phone’s location. When I first purchased my iPhone 3G I had set up the Find My iPhone feature.  My phone had some problems and I was issued a new phone and stupidly didn’t realize that I had to set up the feature again.  I honestly didn’t even think about it.

Be sure to contact AT&T to deactivate your phone number to prohibit the thief to make or receive calls or texts from your phone.  This can be done by logging into your AT&T account online or over the phone.  The phone can be reactivated just as easily if you find it.

Lessons learned:

• Every so often check to make sure protective features like Find My iPhone is activated.  You can never be too sure.
• Store your phone’s serial number, make and model number somewhere safe.
• If you purchased your iPhone with the $30 unlimited data plan and want to retain it once you purchase a new phone then you cannot cancel that plan.

I am not the hugest AT&T fan at the moment.  My plan is due for an upgrade on February 26, 2011.  I went to two AT&T stores to discuss my options.  I was offered a Go Phone for $49.95, the option to buy another phone at full price or wait it out until February 26.  I contacted customer service and although the representative I spoke to was much more sympathetic she could do no more.  I have been a loyal customer since 2002.  I have never once been delinquent in paying my monthly bill.  I have added services to our already overpriced plan.  They couldn’t possibly allow me to upgrade immediately given the situation?  I don’t want to pay for a Go Phone that I won’t use after February.  I refuse to buy a phone at full price.  Why not go to a new cell phone company?  Well I receive a 24% discount through my employer.  So if I leave AT&T I lose.  AT&T doesn’t care if I stay or if I go.  Sad isn’t it?

I am going through a bit of iPhone withdrawal though it’s getting easier.  I am beginning to see this as sort of an experiment.  I am very curious to see how I feel when February 26 rolls around.  I will continue to pay for the data plan just in case I decide to purchase another smart phone.