I setup my phone up to be PASSWORD protected before use, just in case lost/stolen. Some phones don't have that feature but all have it so when you turn the phone on, it asked for password first.
This help me out years ago, when I only turn on the phone for use. I usually have my phone off after use and of course never recive any calls but, back then, 300 minutes was allowed FREE. I did not want to go over my minutes.
After I use my phone that day, I turn it off and put if my pocket. As I got up from the chair it fell out and i only notice that it was gone when I was about 1/4 mile away from the BoardWalk chair in Atlantic City. I ran back and sure enought, it aint there. Look around for people playing with a phone fidling with it or something (sign) that might look like my phone but NADA...It was GONE... Oh well, it was a CHEAPO NOKIA brand and it was OFF so, I had no worries about being use ata ll. Called,.... thinking of the name now..........its the company that went upside down, oh I think it was WORLDCOME MCI, thats was my provider, I have it disconnected and i had only about ONE MONTH left for my contract to end, so i just continued paying and i move on to another provider the next day.