Systems and methods for protecting account information associated with a stolen mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12538128-B2
Application number	US-202318460943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2023
Priority date	Sep 5, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A device of network may provide, to a secondary device, an identifier of a user equipment and a code for messaging, and may receive, from the secondary device and based on the code, target data identifying a target application to notify when the user equipment is stolen. The device may receive an indication of theft of the user equipment, and may block access of the identifier of the user equipment to the target application based on the indication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
providing, by a device of a network and to a secondary device, an identifier of a user equipment and a code for messaging; receiving, by the device and from the secondary device, and based on the code, target data identifying a target application to notify when the user equipment is stolen; receiving, by the device, an indication of theft of the user equipment; and blocking, by the device, access of the identifier of the user equipment to the target application based on the indication.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating, in a data structure, the identifier of the user equipment and an identifier of the secondary device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating, in a data structure, the target data and the code for messaging.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
suspending the user equipment associated with the identifier from accessing the network based on the indication.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
suspending, based on the indication, activity of the user equipment associated with the identifier via the network or via a short message service.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
preventing, based on the indication, the user equipment from utilizing a short message service for two factor authentication for the target application.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary device is an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a key fob, or a category M1 device.

8 . A device, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
provide, to a secondary device, an identifier of a user equipment and a code for messaging;
receive, from the secondary device, and based on the code, target data identifying a target application to notify when the user equipment is stolen;
associate, in a data structure, the identifier of the user equipment and an identifier of the secondary device;
associate, in a data structure, the target data and the code for messaging;
receive an indication of theft of the user equipment; and
block access of the identifier of the user equipment to the target application based on the indication.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive user configuration data identifying an address of the user equipment and a pairing of the user equipment and the secondary device; receive network data and external data associated with the user equipment; utilize the user configuration data, the network data, and the external data to determine safe geolocation zones and unsafe geolocation zones for the user equipment; utilize the user configuration data, the network data, and the external data to configure a time interval to check a proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device based on the safe geolocation zones and the unsafe geolocation zones; check the proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device based on the time interval; and determine, based on the proximity, whether the user equipment and the secondary device are separated.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the indication is generated based on whether the user equipment and the secondary device are separated.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
await a next time interval to check the proximity based on determining that the user equipment and the secondary device are not separated.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
perform one or more actions based on determining that the user equipment and the secondary device are separated.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein a time interval for the safe geolocation zones is different than a time interval for the unsafe geolocation zones.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, to check the proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device, are configured to:
compare a geolocation of the user equipment and a geolocation of the secondary device to determine a proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:
provide, to a secondary device, an identifier of a user equipment and a code for messaging;
receive, from the secondary device, and based on the code, target data identifying a target application to notify when the user equipment is stolen;
receive an indication of theft of the user equipment; and
block access of the identifier of the user equipment to the target application based on the indication.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to:
associate, in a data structure, the identifier of the user equipment and an identifier of the secondary device; and associate, in a data structure, the target data and the code for messaging.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to:
suspend the user equipment associated with the identifier from accessing a network based on the indication; suspend, based on the indication, activity of the user equipment associated with the identifier via the network or via a short message service; and prevent, based on the indication, the user equipment from utilizing the short message service for two factor authentication for the target application.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to:
receive user configuration data identifying an address of the user equipment and a pairing of the user equipment and the secondary device; receive network data and external data associated with the user equipment; utilize the user configuration data, the network data, and the external data to determine safe geolocation zones and unsafe geolocation zones for the user equipment; utilize the user configuration data, the network data, and the external data to configure a time interval to check a proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device based on the safe geolocation zones and the unsafe geolocation zones; check the proximity of the user equipment and the secondary device based on the time interval; and determine whether the user equipment and the secondary device are separated based on the proximity.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to:
await a next time interval to check the proximity based on determining that the user equipment and the secondary device are not separated.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to:
perform one or more actions based on determining that the user equipment and the secondary device are separated.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Bogineni Kalyani
• Guha Ratul K
• Kuravangi-Thammaiah Shanthala
• Pacella Dante J
• Huang Ye
• Syed Burhan
• Lim Kevin
• Pafilis Vassilis
• Sardesai Ashish
• Halton Chris
• Caceres Manuel Enrique

Classifications

• H04W12/69 Primary

  Identity-dependent · CPC title

• H04W12/122 Primary

  Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices · CPC title

• H04W12/63

  Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent · CPC title

• H04W12/126

  Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning · CPC title