<p>Today I found a 4G smart phone in the parking lot of a local strip mall at lunch time. </p>
<p>The keyboard is locked, so no luck trying to call someone.</p>
<p>I went store to store to ask people if they lost a phone. No luck. I left my name and phone number at several businesses and asked them to call me if someone reported losing a phone.</p>
<p>Anyone have any advice on how to find the owner of this phone? If no one calls, what do you suggest I do? Keeping it for my use is not an option since it’s from a different provider.</p>
<p>Any suggestions appreciated!</p>
<p>fyi…Just posted on Craigslist Lost & Found and on my facebook page.</p>
<p>I would guess that someone would call the phone. I don’t know anything about these phones, but do you know if you would be able to answer it if it did ring? You are a good Samaritan to do what you have already done. Someone will be very grateful to you.</p>
<p>I found one last year and took it to our police station. They told me they are sometimes able to unlock lost phones and figure out who owns them.</p>
<p>I found a phone with a dead battery, so there was no way to open the directory. I dropped it off at the service provider, and they were able to contact the owner.</p>
<p>I keep a card with my number on it between the cell phone and case just in case I leave it somewhere Anne33 finds it - she’d be able to call me. </p>
<p>I agree with the above - it seems that it’ll ring at some point which might allow you to find who it belongs to. Actually, I’m surprised the owner hasn’t tried calling it yet.</p>
<p>Alternatively, if you can figure out who the service provider is, they s/b able to determine who the owner is.</p>
<p>Good for you Anne for doing the right thing. When I lose my phone I want you to find it.</p>
<p>I’m not sure the phone would or could ring since the screen requires a password to unlock. Phone is HTC Evo 4G - does anyone know if this model will ring if the screen is locked?</p>
<p>The battery is fully charged, so I’ll give it until tomorrow for someone to contact me. Then it’s off to the Sprint store and hopefully they’ll do the right thing and contact the owner. My fear is that they recondition it and resell…yeah, I hope I’m wrong about that.</p>
<p>This is not the first time I have found a phone. Every other time I was able to call or txt the ICE number or a Mom number and return it. This is such a lesson to my kids…Don’t LOCK your screen!</p>
<p>If you know it is a Sprint phone, they should be able to identify the owner by the number under the battery; can’t remember what it is call, but it is like a serial number. </p>
<p>I would guess someone will call the phone at some point, especially the owner when he/she is looking for the phone hoping to hear it ringing under the sofa cushions are somewhere!</p>
<p>Here’s the scoop…was on phone with Sprint customer service. They were wonderful! I gave them the MEID number and they looked up the owner’s info and gave it to me. While I was on the phone with Sprint, the “found” phone rang, but I wasn’t able to answer it in time. Caller ID said Home Depot was calling, and there is a Home Depot in the shopping center where I found the phone today. So I called HD and the woman who answered the phone told me she was looking for her phone but wasn’t sure if she left it at home today. She ID’d the phone and I’m on my way now to return it to her! </p>
<p>Great news! I have ATT and the identifying number is called an IMEI on GMS phones, which was the name I was thinking of. Just realized that it is called MEID on CDMA phones when I googled it.</p>
<p>Glad you were able to find the owner and hopefully she is very grateful that you were honest and were willing to drive back to get it to her.</p>
<p>Happy to hear you found the owner! I lost my phone one time and when I called my phone, someone answered with,“my name’s” phone. Imagine my surprise to learn that I had a new secretary! When I told him who I was, he said “Oh hi, swim practice is cancelled for tonight”.</p>
<p>My mom and my sister went to walmart once and my sister dropped her phone in the parking lot without knowing it. They got half way home and my moms cell phone started ringing - which is unusual because the only people who call her are my dad, my sister and myself. My dad and I were both at work. I guess my mom answered the call and they were like “We have your daughters cell phone”. Lol, She turned and asked my sister if she lost her phone and she said no. My mom said check again and she looked down and it was gone. They turned around and went back and my sister gave them 20 bucks for being honest about it. Her phone was a motorola droid and not exactly cheap.</p>
<p>Once I “found” someone’s phone as I was returning from a business trip. I picked up my car in long-term parking and headed out of the airport with the windows down, since it was a hot day. As I swung onto the freeway on ramp, something flew into the window and landed at my feet. It was a flying cell phone - apparently the owner had been parked next to me, and had put his phone on the roof of my car while he was doing something with his luggage. There it stayed until I made that turn. I called the “Home” number and we met the owner somewhere between our house and the airport.</p>