https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9857923
that's so-so cool, still a better plot than Saavdhaan India / Crime Patrol 😎
Tracked and recovered my stolen Samsung mobile
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My Galaxy S21 mob was stolen 6days back. I lodged a diary at local p.s.
Chances of recovery was dim as the miscreant had removed the SIMs and it was not connected to wifi. Google find my device tracking was stopped and practically I was not able to use it any more even to wipe data or secure lock. However using Samsung smartthingsfind I was able to get occasional email alerts on it's location near to few hundred meters (5-6 apartment buildings).
High end galaxy devices can use a special technology called uwb (as of now provided in Apple and few Samsung devices) to ping other nearby devices to send alert whenever any other similar devices pass nearby. I kept visiting the locations and kept searching for it using another old phone. At one point, coser to the lost device, the map in the App turned into a signal strength indicator. I zeroed on the building and the apartment where the signal level was highest.
Finally with help of a patrolling police van, we entered the place last night and made the device to ring (wo any network). Miscreant was taken to PS and my ph was handed over after another GD.
I was not aware of the full potential of the technology. There is not enough user guides in DD or elsewhere in net. Forget police, even Samsung service centre staff couldn't help. I kept searching for more info how to zero on the target but couldn't get any practical guide. However I have gathered some experience and learned xiaomi and vivo are also part of Fira consortium and will be enabling this feature on their phones.
I will add some more practical tips for device protection when I have time.
Deal Wiki
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Last updated by: Total_Fun
What is ultra-wideband (UWB), and how does it work?
https://insights.samsung.com/2021/08/25/what-is...
Top Comments
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9859377
Bro did you break any of his gend?
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9860436
@protikuda515
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9861006
My cousin's 2months old Infinix phone was lost in a park 4months back, someone picked the phone, changed the sim card but using it with the same google account without resetting the phone
Report was filed in local ps. But unable to find the same yet.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9862240
Use Google find my device by login
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https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9861204
for example if the location is shown in a flat society with 20 floors. will it show the floor in which the phone is present?
will this tracking work if the phone is reset with sim removed and without wifi nor bluetooth?
will tracking works if battery is 0% ?
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9862918
😶Which comments?
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9862856
Great bro! Thanks for sharing.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9865108
I have s20 5g. Don't know it is available in it.. btw good info 
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9865117
this is pretty awesome.. must be a proud moment for you. u deserve a pat on back. 
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9865680
If this app does not work on formatting disk/nand, its a bad thing in 2024. They should put cheap long range motherboard embedded transmitters pulsating just once an hour (matching unique frequency given to owner on purchase) which need no app and OS. Esim and imei trackingare useless as it needs police who dont bother.
But dont understand why thief did not format or wipe if capable enough to delete android Device finder which needs adb or root. Maybe no patience after 2 days of switch off (you said) or wanted to see all photos videos before formatting.
He would have deleted Samsung SmartThings it if app was made exclusively for finding stolen device. So, its good that the samsung highlighted the app for other purpose like nfc shopping or locating parking and other rfid tags and not thieves.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9866802
Thanks a ton for your post. I noted it down as even I have a Samsung phone.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9867181
I too recover my mobile using Where's my droid application having pro version. While coming out to car, my mobile was fallened at hotel parking & securing guard kept it inside his scooter 🛵. After coming back to home at 11pm, i realised that mobile was missing. Using commander option, i traced it & found its location was at hotel only. Aftrt reaching there, i asked waiters, managers, security but they all told that they didn't found the phone. Then i rung it from web app & sound was coming from one vehicle.. After that i found it insode the deck of scooter. Guard kept it there. Though in my case, mobile was on & has full battery.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9883541
Rang using which web app ?
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9867519
I lost my OP 10t on 17/11/2023 , have filed a lost report but no clue at all, is there any way to proceed, i will pay if anyone help me tracking it.
Unable too see location on find my device.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9877892
None of these above measures matters, if that thief sold spare parts of that mobile.
If you hold the power button for too long the device will restart regardless of any security.
I also tracked the redmi note 7 pro thief using find my device.
I also got his face, mobile number, WhatsApp details, name, his location, age, voter id.
(These details can be easily tracked on any lost Xiaomi mobile using Google find my location, Xiaomi find device)
We gave this information to the police.
But the police didn't co-operate and we lost our mobile.
But if they decide to tear down and sell spare parts then no one can help.
Manufacturers should add security or identification for spare parts too. So no one will steal mobile or any electronics.
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9895720
True, you can't do anything without the help of police... giving little bit first and Promising lower ranking police, (like havildar or ASI) little bribe ( from few hundred to few thousand) might make them " motivated".
Yes if they Sell it for spare parts you can't do much. But tearing apart a phone for spare parts does actually significantly reduces it's totally value they get. Also it require time and skill. Teardown by an unskilled person would likely crack the screen... which is probably the most valuable part of the phone in resale market.
Apple has locked most of the individual parts of an iPhone with encrypted keys. So that one phone's screen can't be installed in another. Only Apple authorised service centre can do it
Yes if they Sell it for spare parts you can't do much. But tearing apart a phone for spare parts does actually significantly reduces it's totally value they get. Also it require time and skill. Teardown by an unskilled person would likely crack the screen... which is probably the most valuable part of the phone in resale market.
Apple has locked most of the individual parts of an iPhone with encrypted keys. So that one phone's screen can't be installed in another. Only Apple authorised service centre can do it
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9878272
Wow thanks for sharing your experience 
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9882187
had same kind of story with my wallet (airtag in it)
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9883045
congratulations bro.. u rocked,
enlighten us on silimar hacks to trace other mobiles too
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9895592
KG+ bro👍👍
https://www.desidime.com/discussions/tracked-and-recovered-my-stolen-samsung-mobile?page=4#post_9916881
Wow
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Kudos bro!
Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments. Indeed it was a challenge and more than the phone I couldn't give up on precious photos, videos and some old ver APKs. So I stayed on despite the odds. The cold winter outside helped me to somewhat move in stealth and avoid getting spotted but I didn't require to trespass. I needed to stay low to avoid alerting the thief who could throw the device beyond a point.
My cloud backup was already touching limits and I was procrastinating taking a backup before I lost the phone. Unless until you loose a phone, you don't realise the pain of delaying a few simple steps. Best option is to sync backup of everything so that your pain is easier. It was my primary device and linked to all my accounts and everything else possible but I didn't panic and was waiting for the guy to do mistakes. After power off/battery drained, he kept it off for first 2 days. I was trying to get into his mind to read his next possible moves.
In the meantime I blocked my SIM and managed to get the duplicate sim. It was not easy as my biometrics were locked in aadhaar and without biometrics, carriers wont give you a duplicate sim. And one cannot unlock biometrics without OTP sent to your original number. Presently only way to do that is by visiting an Aadhar centre and changing the linked phone number. It takes only few hours to reactivate your sim but outgoing SMSs are barred for first 24hrs so one cannot use any financial apps during this time.
I am putting down the replies together.
This UWB microchip thing is limited to a few devices available to S & Z series. Its more like a boosted NFC. This will not work if the device is off.
You don't need anything extra. Your device should be logged into Samsung account and you should not forget the Samsung account email and password. Samsung security is very strict and even after device wipe or reset, Samsung account cannot be deleted without original password /OTP so tracking will continue even if the thief manages to break into your lockscreen. Unless one uses common patterns or PIN, it is not easy to break into android security. Using a pwd is best choice.
I used an app from Galaxy store on my 2nd phone called "SmartThings". It is available in Galaxy or Play store. The official guide is here:https://www.samsung.com/in/support/apps-service...
Apart from mobile, it can also track Galaxy smartwatches, buds etc. you can also login using google account as well into https://smartthingsfind.samsung.com...in to start tracking right away.
Even if your phone is not S series or UWB enabled, still I would recommend to use this app. The android app has some benefits over the browser based tracker.
Once you install the app, click "Life" at bottom,
Click the '+' button on top right,
Add 'Find' from the list,
It will show all your mapped devices with Samsung account; click done at bottom.
Now you can click your device from Life tab to track and also can send an "invite" to a trusted contact to use the tracking features in the event you are middle of somewhere and not able to start tracking yourself. These days, no one offers to help a stranger with his device in a lost mobile case.
Lastly using 'side button' menu in settings, remap 'power off' with 'bixby' (for S & Z series). And use eSIM instead of physical SIM.