# How do I Identify The Owner of a Cell Phone?



## Gary O' (Apr 6, 2022)

Found a cell phone at our cabin property in the mountains.
It was in what was left of the snow, out near the meadow about 50 yards from the cabin
No tracks, so it's been there for awhile

Took it to our local* Verizon *and *US Cellular* outlets to see if they could identify the owner.
nada

Neither could the county Sheriff 

Someone mentioned finding out via the sim card (?)

I know less than nothing about cell phones


Unsure how old it is

 Looks to be a Motorola

Any geezer geeks got any suggestions?


----------



## PamfromTx (Apr 6, 2022)

Perhaps someone threw it out?

In my phone contacts, my cell phone is listed... just in case I lose it.  There's got to be a way of locating the owner via the phone.  My husband had a problem with his cell and went to Spectrum and they got the problem solved.  Hubby was amazed at how smart the workers are.  

Hope you find the owner.


----------



## Kaila (Apr 6, 2022)

I too know possibly even less than you do about cell phones, GaryO.  

(_One might ask why I am answering this post, then. )_

Because I want to add my additional question to yours, in case someone knowledgeable comes along. 

I wonder if it would be worth anything to anyone, now that it was exposed to the elements for so long, found where and how you found it. Would it work at all, in any bit?


----------



## Aunt Bea (Apr 6, 2022)

If it powers up you could check the number or the contact list.

If it doesn't power up I would toss it.

It does make you wonder who might have been prowling around.


----------



## Kaila (Apr 6, 2022)

I did _not_ mean that you should try to make any calls on it!

I only meant that if it is completely nonfunctional from being left that way, then maybe it just gets discarded properly now, without any further attempts regarding it. ???


----------



## PamfromTx (Apr 6, 2022)




----------



## Chris21E (Apr 6, 2022)

First try this
*If you've picked up an Android phone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, tap Emergency call and then View emergency Information. If you see an emergency contact listed, get in touch with them to find out whose phone you've found.Jan 21, 2022*


----------



## hawkdon (Apr 6, 2022)

So, Bigfoot threw away his phone...just leave him alone..


----------



## Chris21E (Apr 6, 2022)

*More how to details
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-you-can-return-someones-lost-phone-by-thinking-like-a-thief/*


----------



## Lawrence00 (Apr 6, 2022)

The sim card is like a serial number.  A professional phone store can take care of this.


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 6, 2022)

Chris21E said:


> More how to details


*That*...was a lot of info @Chris21E 
Thank you


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 6, 2022)

Aunt Bea said:


> If it doesn't power up I would toss it.
> 
> It does make you wonder who might have been prowling around.


Yeah, it doesn't power up

I don't give a rip about the phone

I do care who was on my property

I'm gonna toy with getting the sim card out
or
Pry it open to see if any numbers are on the back of the battery

Haven't tried T-Mobile or AT@T yet


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 6, 2022)

PamfromTx said:


> There's got to be a way of locating the owner via the phone. My husband had a problem with his cell and went to Spectrum and they got the problem solved. Hubby was amazed at how smart the workers are.


Yeah, I'll hit Spectrum too

thanks @PamfromTx


----------



## dobielvr (Apr 6, 2022)

Take it to Target.
Those kids know every which way about cell phones.


----------



## Chris21E (Apr 6, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> * That*...was a lot of info @Chris21E
> Thank you


I'm a geek  Gary...sorry


----------



## Chris21E (Apr 6, 2022)

When all else fails...open window, then tossed out...


----------



## Ken N Tx (Apr 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Took it to our local* Verizon *and *US Cellular* outlets to see if they could identify the owner.
> nada


If any phone store (like above) can not figure it out, I would give up.


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> If any phone store (like above) can not figure it out, I would give up.


Yeah, one last shot will be seeing if there's numbers on the back of the battery.
Of which will take a hammer to smash it open, or a flat nosed screwdriver to pry it open.

I've still got a few places to inquire before I do that.

It's become my white whale.....


----------



## Pepper (Apr 7, 2022)

Was any damage done to your property?  Is it a fenced enclosure?


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

Pepper said:


> Was any damage done to your property? Is it a fenced enclosure?


No damage or things missing

Not totally fenced
The meadow is wide open, but not easily accessed 
Gotta be someone 'exploring' and happened onto the cabin....


----------



## Meanderer (Apr 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> No damage or things missing
> 
> Not totally fenced
> The meadow is wide open, but not easily accessed
> Gotta be someone 'exploring' and happened onto the cabin....


----------



## FastTrax (Apr 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Found a cell phone at our cabin property in the mountains.
> It was in what was left of the snow, out near the meadow about 50 yards from the cabin
> No tracks, so it's been there for awhile
> 
> ...





Chris21E said:


> *More how to details
> https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-you-can-return-someones-lost-phone-by-thinking-like-a-thief/*



Ditto. Also if the phone could power up you could call yourself and bingo. Best bet is to have a phone store young-un pull the 14 or 15 digit IMSI for you off the sim card unless it's corrupted.


----------



## Pepper (Apr 7, 2022)

I don't believe you will ever find the phone's owner.  It's probably all innocent, if no one entered your cabin.  I used to go 'exploring' and if any home had a for sale sign me & husband were known to look around.


----------



## JustBonee (Apr 7, 2022)

Geezer Geek ..  nah
...  find a 10 year old Geek.  They can figure it out


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

Pepper said:


> I don't believe you will ever find the phone's owner. It's probably all innocent, if no one entered your cabin. I used to go 'exploring' and if any home had a for sale sign me & husband were known to look around.


Yeah, I'm guilty of that too.
Got cured of it a bit when stumbling onto a recluse's cabin
We became friends, but the first few moments were a tad unsettling


----------



## PamfromTx (Apr 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> No damage or things missing
> 
> Not totally fenced
> The meadow is wide open, but not easily accessed
> Gotta be someone 'exploring' and happened onto the cabin....


Any Bigfoot footprints?


----------



## horseless carriage (Apr 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Found a cell phone at our cabin property in the mountains.
> It was in what was left of the snow, out near the meadow about 50 yards from the cabin
> 
> I know less than nothing about cell phones
> ...



Quick check on mine, nope, not mine.


----------



## Kaila (Apr 7, 2022)

PamfromTx said:


> Any Bigfoot footprints?
> 
> View attachment 216383



If they haven't left any Bigfoot prints, GaryO, 
then perhaps _*you* should put some Bigfoot prints out there, _so that 
if the wandering explorer returns sometime, they would see them, and think better of choosing that land with your cabin, for their hike of interest!


----------



## Kaila (Apr 7, 2022)

Like you, GaryO, I would be curious to know who had been on the property, if I were you;
However, if they did not damage or disturb anything, and left no other signs of misuse or suspicion, then I would assume it was likely some walker, and likely from last summer, by now.


----------



## Meanderer (Apr 7, 2022)




----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

PamfromTx said:


> Any Bigfoot footprints?


Just my size 13 EEE


----------



## Tish (Apr 7, 2022)

Personally, I would hand the thing to the police, that way it is their problem.
You never know, it could be vital in a case.


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

Set out to go to several outlets

First one was AT&T (not a big fan)
However, the gal there was a* HUGE *help
(I was the only one in the store, so she was pretty much bored to tears)

She pulled the sim card
Asked if I wanted to plug into mine
'Nada'
She didn't plug it into hers, either, but got a loaner phone and plugged in the card.
It was corroded, but was able to bring up three deleted (blank) files and an unemployment ap from Calif
No names anywhere

Oh, and it's just a track phone...gotta use a prepaid card

It's now junk


----------



## Kaila (Apr 7, 2022)

Well, that's a bit of a letdown, to this otherwise fascinating mystery-thread, @Gary O' 


Perhaps we could make up some more entertaining endings, such as:

The phone that GaryO had found,
became the final missing clue, to solve a long series of strange occurrences, that had been described and retold, over a few generations of locals.
The resulting irrefutable conclusion is that a small group of crows, had been exchanging people's belongings with each others, as a ritual observance that they performed regularly at crow holidays.
Have you discovered what they took _of yours, GaryO, and at which properties, they dropped them off?_


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 7, 2022)

Tish said:


> Personally, I would hand the thing to the police, that way it is their problem.
> You never know, it could be vital in a case.


Yeah, they didn't want it


----------



## PamfromTx (Apr 7, 2022)

There could be selfies of Bigfoot !


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 8, 2022)

PamfromTx said:


> There could be selfies of Bigfoot !


Well, there* was *a few of those



and one of him and his twin




and one of his foot (for authenticity)


----------



## JonSR77 (Apr 8, 2022)

re security issues.

one of the things that some folks are doing to deal with burglars is set up these motion activated web cams. I think they come from the technology that biologists used to track and watch cougars and other animals in the wild. They set up these cams, and then review the footage later on.

But folks can buy them put them around the property and they will document someone illegally coming on your property.

Cost ranges from pretty low to, you know, much, much higher.

I believe most jurisdictions only allow video, without sound. Video with sound, I believe, violates wiretapping laws.


As far as unknowns and mysteries go...the statistical possibilities are strongly in favor of very simple, innocuous causes.

A cell phone on a property? Oh, could be someone dropped a cell phone several miles away and a dog or raccoon got it and transported it. Or other simple, non-sinister causes.

As far as security issues are concerned, generally...there are a lot of simple things that can help secure a property.

Lots of light at night, for one.

If a burglar is deciding which house to engage, he is certainly not going to choose the most well lit ones. Then, into a good strong security door, some folks get these metal grates that cover the first floor windows (from the inside or out)...and that is like putting bars on your windows.

You can actually buy tape recordings of a large dog barking. That will dissuade a lot of burglars.

Here's a general info link:

Crime Prevention and Safety Tips

From the New York City Police Department


https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/services/law-enforcement/crime-prevention-and-safety-tips.page


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 8, 2022)

Yeah, the cabin is off grid, and while living there, I was the security......and my short barrel 12 gauge

Not too worried about it, even though we're no longer there much

Most the renegade within a five mile radius know me

Sometimes townies drive the logging roads to shoot the place up
That's life out there

Just curious on that phone

Considered a game cam, but.......I needed too many batteries as it was
I have a few battery powered trip lights near the cabins
It's enough

Thanks for your thoughts


----------



## Meanderer (Apr 8, 2022)

Tish said:


> Personally, I would hand the thing to the police, that way it is their problem.
> You never know, it could be vital in a case.


....the key to a solution!


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 8, 2022)

Update;

There's a tiny SD card behind the sim
Just gotta pick up the adapter to plug it into my laptop

S/be pics and photos of docs, etc


----------



## Aunt Bea (Apr 9, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Update;
> 
> There's a tiny SD card behind the sim
> Just gotta pick up the adapter to plug it into my laptop
> ...


----------



## Della (Apr 9, 2022)

I was in my front yard one day when a truck drove by and I saw something fly off the top of the truck and land in my yard.  It was a phone, so I waited for it to ring and then asked who they were calling.  My intention was to walk it back to the owner's house.

The person on the other end was the wife of the truck driving owner.  She yelled at me for quite some time for stealing her husband's phone.  I was tempted to hang up and throw it in the trash, but I finally made her understand and took it down the street and put it in her mailbox.


----------



## horseless carriage (Apr 9, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Update;
> 
> There's a tiny SD card behind the sim
> Just gotta pick up the adapter to plug it into my laptop
> ...


SD? Scooby-Doo or Snoop Dogg?
If my phone has an SD it probably means: ****** Dysfunction.


----------



## Meanderer (Apr 9, 2022)




----------



## Ken N Tx (Apr 9, 2022)

I would keep it for a week and if it does not get any spam calls, I would keep it!!


----------



## Kaila (Apr 9, 2022)

Ken N Tx said:


> I would keep it for a week and if it does not get any spam calls, I would keep it!!


Your post seems like the answer to a question:
_When is a completely broken phone, better than one that works? 

_


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 10, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> There's a tiny SD card behind the sim
> Just gotta pick up the adapter to plug it into my laptop
> 
> S/be pics and photos of docs, etc


Nuthin' on it

Phone is now junk


----------



## RadishRose (Apr 10, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Nuthin' on it
> 
> Phone is now junk


I'm so disappointed!


----------



## Gary O' (Apr 10, 2022)

Yeah, me too


----------



## Ruthanne (Apr 11, 2022)

I hate to say it but if it was in the snow it's probably not any good anymore unless you found different.


----------



## Tish (Apr 11, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Nuthin' on it
> 
> Phone is now junk


Damn! I was so looking forward to pics or something.


----------



## FastTrax (Apr 11, 2022)

This sounds like a valid entry into the Cold Case Subforum. lol.


----------



## Mr. Ed (Apr 11, 2022)

Wrap cell phone in aluminum foil and follow the ping.


----------

