If you haven’t heard, smartphone snatching is a thing. A friend of TIT recently had hers snatched out of her hand while walking down a busy sidewalk in a major European city, describing two young people hopping a curb on a scooter in broad daylight and absconding with the device in a lightning quick drive-by strike.
Indeed, according to the Global Rescue Winter 2025 Traveller Sentiment and Safety survey, a fifth of travellers report being victims of smartphone snatching or loss during an international trip.
“When travelling, your smartphone is more than just a device – it’s a necessity. Protect it, because losing it could mean losing control over your plans, finances, and security,” says Harding Bush, associate director of security for Global Rescue, who notes that when stolen, a thief can use the phone to access banking apps, email accounts, and social media profiles, putting travellers at risk of identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized transactions.
“Never store your cash, ID, or credit cards in a phone wallet attachment. If your phone is lost or stolen, you lose everything at once,” Bush continued, adding, “Think about consequence management – if your phone is linked to two-factor authentication for email and financial accounts, losing it could lock you out of those essential services.”
According to the survey, keeping the phone hidden in public (43%) is the most popular method used by travellers for securing smartphones from mobile device snatchers. Using Face ID, a fingerprint, or a complex password (25%), ‘Find My Device’ and remote erase features (9%), and locking the SIM card (4%) are the next most common ways to protect a cell phone from theft – or least damage caused by its theft.
The least used methods are installing anti-theft software, encrypting phone data and using a phone leash (3%), obtaining a burner (throwaway) phone (2%), and removing banking and shopping apps (1%).
Bush says the best protection for one’s phone is to avoid using it in crowded, congested areas., and instead, “use it indoors or in a secure location. And always stay aware of your surroundings.”
Finally, he concludes: “You shouldn’t attempt to retrieve the phone yourself. Confronting a thief or following them into an unfamiliar area can be extremely dangerous. Let the authorities handle recovery efforts.”
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