NextAdvisor.com is launching a free guide to help iPhone owners prepare for and recover from the loss or theft of their phone. The guide details a series of simple steps that can be taken before and after an iPhone goes missing that can expedite recovery and mitigate the risk of identity theft.

San Francisco, CA (EMWNews) July 30, 2008 — NextAdvisor.com, a leading consumer information resource, is launching a free guide to help the millions of worldwide iPhone owners prepare and recover from the loss or theft of their phone. The lost or stolen iPhone recovery guide is also meant to educate iPhone owners on the potential risk of identity theft if their phone falls into the wrong hands.

“Apple’s iPhone is a powerful device with the ability to store large amounts of personal information,” said NextAdvisor.com Vice President of Research Joe Fahrner. “This means that a lost or stolen iPhone may not just be a frustrating experience, but also may put the owner at risk for identity theft or related crimes.”

NextAdvisor.com’s lost or stolen iPhone guide outlines a series of steps that iPhone owners can take to minimize the risk of further victimization if their phone is lost or stolen. Additionally, the guide details important actions to take once they realize their phone has gone missing in order to protect themselves and others.

For example, the guide suggests that iPhone owners contact their employer and any contacts stored in the lost or stolen phone. “Criminals may use information stored in your lost or stolen iPhone to victimize your contacts or gain unauthorized access to your employer’s systems,” said Fahrner. “It is a good idea to err on the side of over communicating the loss of your iPhone with your employer, business contacts, friends and family”.

The guide also points out some little known security tools that are built right into the iPhone. “Our research has shown that many iPhone owners were not aware of the device’s built-in passcode feature,” said Fahrner. “We recommend that all iPhone owners set a passcode in order to mitigate the risk that their email, contacts, browsing history and other personal information could fall in the wrong hands if their phone is lost or stolen”. The guide includes detailed instructions on how to set a passcode on the iPhone.

The lost or stolen iPhone recovery guide is available for free by visiting:
http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/2008/07/29/how-to-recover-from-a-lost-or-stolen-iphone/

It is a companion to the recently launched lost or stolen laptop recovery guide which can be found here: http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/2008/07/14/how-to-deal-with-a-lost-or-stolen-laptop/

About NextAdvisor.com

NextAdvisor.com is the trusted, independent source for comparing the most valuable new services. The company’s mission is to help consumers save money and improve their lives by presenting them with useful comparisons and reviews of service providers and a clear explanation of each service and how it works. The company currently reviews, compares and explains many different types of services including credit report and monitoring, identity theft protection, voice over IP, diet plans, DVD rental and movie download, online education, online tax preparation and online backup.