Full Notification

Losing a smartphone, or having it stolen is sometimes as bad as having a wallet or purse lost or stolen.

Nowadays, many smartphone users store a good amount of personal information on their phones. If their phones got into the wrong hands, it could potentially be devastating. There are many ways to help prevent becoming a victim of a lost or stolen smartphone during this Holiday season. Below are three quick tips.

1. Set your phone to require a password or passcode each time it is turned on. For more information on how to do so, visit your phone manufacturers' website (i.e., for iPhones, visit www.apple.com/).

2. Never leave your phone unattended. For example, placing your phone on a table at a fastfood restaurant or coffee shop to reserve the table; then walking away and standing in line.

3. Use a locator app and/or smartwatch in case you lose your phone. For Apple iPhones, use the app "Find my iPhone." For Samsung Galaxy smartphones, visit http://findmymobile.samsung.com/login.do. For all other makes and models, visit your manufacturer and/or wireless carrier's website. Smartwatches such as the Pebble work with both Android and iPhones, and can emit an audible beep to a lost phone; however, they are connected via bluetooth, so the maximum effective range is approximately 30 feet.