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Lost Cell Phone in Taxi. Am I just screwed?

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phatalbert

Newbie

Joined: June 21, 2007
Posts: 8

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 03:09 PM
Post subject: Lost Cell Phone in Taxi. Am I just screwed?

Hello All.

I lost my cell phone in a taxi last night. I'm guessing it just fell out of my pocket while I was sitting there, either way I didn't notice it was gone until I had gotten out, paid, and the driver was driving away. I chased after him, but either he didn't notice me or didn't care, and got to the next light, green and was gone.

I went to the nearest phone and called my number several times but no one picked up. I kept on trying through the night, eventually it switched to saying the number could not be connected, and then, the number is disconnected. Does that mean I'm just SOL, the cab driver took my cell phone and plans on pawning it? I know my prepaid SIM was getting a little low on money, could it be out of money and that's the reason I'm getting the message?

Anyways... I don't see what he would want with my phone, it's an old piece of junk compared to most phones here in Shanghai, and it's English only and Cingular branded. I really wish he would pick up the phone and I can offer him some kind of reward to bring it back to me.

Swiss-James

StreetBeater

Joined: Jan 05, 2007
Posts: 2429

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 03:14 PM

Did you get a receipt from the taxi? I think if it's turned off and / or run out of batteries, you're probably not going to see it again

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Andreas
Board Royalty

Joined: Feb 27, 2004
Posts: 6332
Location: 31 N 121 E

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 03:15 PM

Sorry to hear about your phone, but I think there is a 99,9 % chance you won't see it again. I think most phones that get lost, get lost in cabs here. Knock on wood, I have been lucky so far. And I have developed this automatic routine of looking back on the seat when I get out of the cab, to see if I did not forget something.

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Magnolia
Board Biatch

Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31071

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 03:33 PM

Without the receipt you won't be able to contact the taxi company. Since the phone is off, then you safely consider it gone. It may not have been the driver who took it, but the next customer. Andreas is right... always check for your phone before exiting the vehicle... it becomes second nature quickly. Nothing worse that losing a phone... such a hassle to get back the numbers unless you have recently backed them up.

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phatalbert

Newbie

Joined: June 21, 2007
Posts: 8

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 05:04 PM

Ahhh.. nuts. I guess I'm going cell phone shopping.

Is there any way to get in touch with China Mobile and have them give me the same number?

HappyGabriel

Lurker

Joined: May 25, 2007
Posts: 21

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 05:12 PM

You should have another kind of card proving your possession of this number, which you could get when you applied( bought ) this number. You can go to China Mobile asking your number back for 20-40RMB with showing your owning card.

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inflair

Seeker

Joined: June 16, 2007
Posts: 69

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 05:21 PM

You can get you money back , if you do the SIM by you ID.
but if not , you can not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

spandex

Raver

Joined: June 06, 2006
Posts: 474

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 06:39 PM

Commiserations. Exactly the same happened to me 2 weeks ago, definitely left it in the cab. Phoned my number, power off!!!! The driver took it for sure because I was sitting in the front.

Took original card with PUK and code numbers to China Unicom and they gave me a new SIM with same number for 15 rmb. It's a pisser losing the phone and all my phone records, but the only thing that really bothers me is that the thief who took it has made at least one nuisance/harrassment call to someone in my phonebook.

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mswp

Rocker

Joined: Mar 06, 2005
Posts: 724

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 08:28 PM

It's definitely worth calling the cab company if you have the receipt. Especially if it's DaZhong or HaiBo or one of the other big companies, there's a good chance you can get it back. I dropped my wallet, with a bunch of cash, and sure enough it was turned in.

flowing

Talker

Joined: Oct 19, 2006
Posts: 83

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 09:50 PM

I lost my mobile pnone in taxi and took it back next day 3 years ago, and rewarded the Taxi driver 300RMB, as he demanded 500RMB… Anyway, I would say I was lucky.

I think that you might get your phone back if it’s not off. Try to call the Taxi company. One in a thousand, good luck.

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yinlin

Rocker

Joined: Feb 26, 2007
Posts: 643

Status: Offline

Posted: June 26, 2007 - 11:17 PM

hear my opinion, i lost twice in cab the last one year in China. The first one has gone forever from me and the second one was sent back by a kind taxi driver in beijing when i was on my way to airport with my assistant, phew, lots of important contact inside and i now all copy down in my notebook just in case it happens again!

Dreamtheatre

Lurker

Joined: Nov 10, 2005
Posts: 32

Status: Offline

Posted: June 27, 2007 - 01:42 AM

Last time there was a guy who lost his cell phone in the cab and blamed entire chinese for being thieves. At least this thread started on the right track. Good luck dude.

1/4mile

Lurker

Joined: June 20, 2007
Posts: 23

Status: Offline

Posted: June 27, 2007 - 03:48 AM

yeah, i know how it sucks when you lose something important... well, as Phatalbert mentioned, it's an old piece of junk, might as well get the latest cellphone models with neat features and stuff... just make sure you won't lose it again... as for your SIM, you can still get the same number as most of the posters suggested... goodluck in your phone hunting!

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phatalbert

Newbie

Joined: June 21, 2007
Posts: 8

Status: Offline

Posted: June 28, 2007 - 02:21 AM

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Here is how I resolved my situation. I've more or less given up on the cell phone, but I did manage to get the same phone number back.

All I had to do was take the mima ka, password card, that came in the original package to a China Mobile store, and they gave me a new SIM card with the same number. I didn't give them any ID when I first bought the card, but I did this time and so my name is now associated with that number. They charged me a 10 RMB fee, and I had to add a little money back on the card (whoever ended up with my phone used up all the remaining money).

All in all, not quite as devastating a loss as I thought it would be. Only annoying part will be rebuilding my phonebook. I think I will get into the practice of regularly backing that up now.

I couldn't figure a way to contact the taxi company, the one I was riding in was a red one, and I didn't happen to note which company's car it was, or ask for a fa piao, also something I think I will get into the habit of doing.