tried to find my phone

[qause]

Last month I lost my S4(SCH-i545) which has been installed wheres my droid. This app helped me find my misplaced phone by only texting from other phone, it will make a ring at maximum volume even if set to be silent or enable the GPS if it's disable. Thought my stolen phone can be tracked since my phone never power off which was contributed by my mpj 7000mah extended battery. But unfortunately someone (most likely the thief) turned my phone off !! And then I had to contact VZW and blocked my phone.

Though wheres my droid is really useful, wonder has anyone actually been able to get the phone back through wheres my droid or this sort of apps?

 

[leeshor]

Welcome to the forum

It WILL work, if it was a dumb criminal who stole it. Otherwise a quick factory reset will foil your protection/tracking attempts.

 

[Neoart]

Otherwise a quick factory reset will foil your protection/tracking attempts.

Can thief get passed the lock screen?
To get to reset..

 

[leeshor]

Can thief get passed the lock screen?
To get to reset..

Yes, it is possible to do a hardware factory reset. The only thing the lock screen is good for is protecting your info. If someone does a hardware reset there won't be any info to steal.

 

[intoler]

Sorry about your phone. If you're fortunate, those apps would be helpful. I would feel totally lost without my phone and my mpj battery either! Have you already reported it lost/stolen?

 

[bbtkd]

There are several apps out there that will help with lost/stolen phones to varying degrees. I have the free version of Lookout, but the paid subscription will help locate and/or wipe a stolen or lost phone. Of course they can't do anything if it is off or dead, but some might watch for them to appear on the network and then wipe them. Someone who knows what they are doing should be able to get past a lock screen, but it will foil the typical crook. Stolen phones are only good in the US for parts or for the info on the phone. Stolen phones can be sold in the US, but unless the thief wants to be caught they will sell it anonymously to a stranger. Otherwise, stolen phones can be sold in other countries where their phone companies aren't looking for stolen phones. The other day I played games too long, and when the battery went below 15% I got an Email showing the location. Suppose that's a last gasp way to locate a lost phone, but with the free version they make you wait until the battery runs down - the paid version would allow finding it on demand.

 

[ms4teacher]

I "lost" my RAZR MAXX last year and decided to pay for the Lookout App. When I went online through my laptop to find it the location indicated was miles from where the phone actually was misplaced. The phone was literally in the next room but the Lookout App had it miles away in the downtown area. With that said, the app was functional in that I was able to wipe it remotely.

 

[bbtkd]

I "lost" my RAZR MAXX last year and decided to pay for the Lookout App. When I went online through my laptop to find it the location indicated was miles from where the phone actually was misplaced. The phone was literally in the next room but the Lookout App had it miles away in the downtown area. With that said, the app was functional in that I was able to wipe it remotely.

I've had apps that use GPS mis-report my location, particularly when indoors. Probably not a problem with Lookout, but certainly a limitation/consideration.

 

[leeshor]

The best way to locate it precisely is to have GPS and location services on and the phone has a lock on the sats. If not, it locates by WiFi WAN IP or cell tower and either could in fact be miles and miles away.