Cell phones, once large and bulky, are smaller and more useful than ever. What hasn’t changed is their attractiveness to thieves.

While losing your phone to theft can be expensive, that’s not the worse part. Thieves who steal your cell phone can spend days calling friends around the world and you’ll have to foot the bill. Don’t believe it? Ask the recent victim who reported being billed $14,000 for calls made by the person who stole his daughter’s cell phone. Make no doubt about it — cell phone theft is very profitable.

But there are some things you can do to minimize the chances your phone will be taken and reduce damages if the worst does happen. Here are a few tips:

* Check your owner’s manual to see how your phone is locked on a provider. The best way to prevent someone from switching carriers and making calls is by setting your sim lock feature, which is coded. That makes it less profitable for a thief to use the phone once you’ve notified your own carrier of the theft.
* Consider purchasing anti-theft insurance specifically for mobile phones..
* As the popularity of cells grows, so do the number of phones in each household. Account for each one on a daily basis. There’s no nastier surprise than to discover a phone’s been stolen and you’re on the hook for thousands.
* Keep your phone at home or with you. Don’t leave it in the car or put it down somewhere.
* If your phone should disappear, immediately call your provider and file a police report.

Quick reaction to cell phone theft can help contain the damage.