Lost my smartphone. Can ppl access my email?

RealGem

Hi

I lost my smartphone and I had never got round to setting up a Pin code on the handset so I'm told anyone can access the photos, videos and audio files.

OK lesson learned.

Now sorry if this is a stupid question, but whenever I switched my phone on, I was never asked to log in to my Gmail account. It was just there. I could see my whole inbox and read any email.

Since losing my phone I have changed my email account password. But I don't ever remember setting up my email password on the phone in the first place. (I only got it 2 months ago). Logic tells me I must have done, but Google Maps on my phone kept nagging me to login to my Google account, implying I wasn't logged in, (the Google account is the same as my Gmail account) so it always seemed I wasn't actually logged into Gmail, but could still access it.

(The mobile phone was a new handset but on an old Virgin Mobile account btw, in case that is relevant.)

Anyway, if I could access my Gmail without logging in, and my handset is not locked, could someone else access my Gmail account?

Or will changing my password have ensured they can't?

thanks a lot

bod1467

If the password has changed since you lost the phone then the email app on the phone will (probably) not authenticate, so they shouldn't be able to see your email.

RealGem

Thanks for your reply, but you say "probably". I am really worried people can access my email, so I need to know for sure.

Does anyone know for certain please?

It's a Samsung S4 mini

paddyrg

search google for 'google find phone' or something like that - you may find you turned on the device manager and can disable the handset remotely

RealGem

Oooh you gave me a glimmer of hope there Paddyrg!

Sadly it says: "Location Unavailable Last online May 21st"

I actually lost it on May 23rd, but had switched Data off, and was only using the camera and audio recorder. I have a non smart phone for phone calls and texts. Yes, I'm weird.

I actually think I lost it right outside my house, as I had it in the car on the way home, but not in the flat. And my neighbour downstairs is a convicted thief, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was downstairs, and was half expecting my own address to show up on that Google Find Phone wizardry you introduced me to!

I can't let my neighbour access my email. And I don't want to change my Gmail account, as it is linked to so many HUNDREDS of sites!

Thank you for telling me about this great feature. I will definitely set it up next time.

But do you know if my Gmail account is definitely secure on my phone please?

thanks

Johnmcl7

You probably don't remember entering your Google password because it asks you for your Google details when you first configure the phone and uses those details for the Gmail app - it doesn't prompt you for the password when you first use the Gmail app itself so if you've changed your password, anyone who tried to open the Gmail app on your phone should get a prompt to re-enter the password.

In the Google security web page you can check where the account has been accessed from and from what device:

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/45938?hl=en

That would allow you to check for sure whether your phone is still accessing your account or not.

John

RealGem

Thanks Johnmcl7,

I didn't know about that service either. That's great.

I tried it and it says the only devices using my Gmail account are my computer and my phone, but the last time my phone accessed it was May 23rd at 12.07am.

I lost my phone at about 2.30pm on May 23rd, so it seems no-one has accessed Gmail!

What you said about setting up my password initially makes sense, so I feel more reassured that no-one can see my emails.

Thanks a lot

Ben84

Changing the password stops anyone receiving emails from that point onwards. However, any emails already downloaded to the handset will still be viewable. It's worth considering their content, particularly regarding log in details for other sites you use.

bod1467

If it's the Gmail app then I don't think it downloads anything ... the emails you see are the Gmail server versions. (I may be wrong on this of course).

tavernman

bod1467 wrote: »

If it's the Gmail app then I don't think it downloads anything ... the emails you see are the Gmail server versions. (I may be wrong on this of course).

you possibly are , my phone shows the one I have not deleted from thunderbird and my wifi and mobile are off....

Ben84

bod1467 wrote: »

If it's the Gmail app then I don't think it downloads anything ... the emails you see are the Gmail server versions. (I may be wrong on this of course).

To see them you must be downloading them to the handset. I think what you're wondering is if they're stored long term? Perhaps that depends on your phone, but I have a pretty ordinary android phone, about five years old, and the emails are stored on here long term, and if I run out of data or go out of signal I can still read the emails previously downloaded.