Privacy

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Should I glue my SIM tray shut? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 year ago by darkstar@sh.itjust.works to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

63 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I know it's an odd question, but where I live phones get stolen often. My phone doesn't have the option for an eSim, which is a problem because 90% of the time when a thief steals a phone they take out the SIM card immediately, meaning I wouldn't be able to remotely lock or wipe my phone.

Should I consider glueing the SIM tray shut? Or are there alternative less permanent measures I can take to keep my device secure?

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[–] Polar@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Thiefs just throw phones into faraday cages to block all access immediately, then they fiddle with it at home. You're pretty much screwed either way.

[–] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Do you have any sources for this? Or is this something people in the suburbs tell each other over a campfire.

[–] darkstar@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Source? Because I have many videos as evidence showing thieves throw SIM cards out of the window of their escape vehicle, so that seems to be the common one here

[–] A1kmm@lemmy.amxl.com 6 points 1 year ago

Phones have a unique equipment identifier number (IMEI) that they share with towers. Changing SIM changes the subscriber ID (IMSI) but not the IMEI (manufacturers don't make it easy to change the IMEI). So thieves (and anyone else) with the phone could be tracked by the IMEI anyway even if they do that, while leaving the phone on.

In practice, the bigger reason they don't get caught every time if they have inadequate opsec practices is that in places where phone thefts are common, solving them is probably not a big priority for local police. Discarding the SIM probably doesn't make much difference to whether they get caught.

[–] darkstar@sh.itjust.works -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Source? Because I have seen many videos showing thieves throw SIM cards out of the window of their escape vehicle, so that seems to be the common one here