Many Dutch people are afraid that their smartphone will be stolen on holiday: this is what you can do about it

Now that the summer holidays are just around the corner, many Dutch people seem to be concerned about the safety of their belongings while traveling. The smartphone in particular seems to be a precious possession: a large part of the Dutch are afraid that it will be stolen. But how can you prevent this? Metro shares some useful tips.

The comparison site Overstappen.nl asked more than a thousand Dutch people about their holidays. And what did they find? A carefree holiday is not something that many people can take for granted. A considerable number of respondents are worried about their possessions. The smartphone appears to be the most precious possession for most people: almost half of the respondents (49.06 percent) say they are afraid of their mobile phone being stolen. The differences by age appear to be large:

• In the age group 18-34, 72.46 percent are afraid of this
• In the age group 35-54, 50.95 percent are afraid of this
• Of those aged 55 and over, 40.22 percent are afraid of this

The survey allowed for multiple answers. For example, 43.74 percent of respondents were afraid of their passport being stolen, 45.43 percent were afraid of their debit or credit card being stolen, and 26.5 percent were afraid of their cash being stolen.

But how can you protect yourself against theft of your smartphone? With travel insurance you can at least prevent a lot of misery, but what also helps is to protect your phone extra well. Instead of carrying your phone in your bag or jacket pocket, you can attach it to a cord and hang it around your neck under your clothes. This makes the chance of your phone being stolen a lot smaller. Do you leave your phone during the day in your holiday accommodation? Then put it in a safe. In your hotel room you can store it in a safe and in a holiday home you could keep it in your suitcase if it has a lock.

It is also important to take a number of measures before your trip. This will not prevent your phone from being stolen, but it can prevent a lot of misery.

• Take a screenshot of your phone's IMEI number and email it to yourself: this is a unique 15-digit number that is linked to your phone. You can see the number when you dial *#06#. If your phone is stolen, the police will put the IMEI number on www.stopheling.nl. This is a list of registration numbers of stolen items. If the thief tries to sell your phone, there is a greater chance of him or her being caught if your IMEI number is on that list. The buyer will see that it is a stolen phone when he checks the IMEI number.
• Set up fingerprint unlocking: a thief can always sneak a peek over your shoulder to find out your unlock code. A fingerprint unlocking is a lot safer. This way, the thief can't get into your phone and he/she can't access your personal data.
• Make copies: before your vacation, put a copy of your photos and files in the cloud. If your mobile phone gets stolen while on vacation, you won't lose all your photos and files.
• Turn on 'Find my phone': this setting allows you to see where your mobile is. You can also lock your mobile remotely with an access code. This way, your data will remain safe.

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