800 Points
The police often ask for pins and passwords when seizing a smartphone on a court order or when seizing a smartphone. Do not say anything. Do not unlock anything. Contact a lawyer.

More information

You should also not react if you receive a letter from the police asking you to hand over your PIN. The police may also try to put you under verbal pressure. They may tell you that handing over the password will mitigate the penalty. Or they might tell you that you will get your phone back more quickly. Or they claim that it can be expensive for you to have your smartphone cracked professionally. Stand firm and refuse to hand it over! If in doubt, contact a lawyer.

Particularly important for the following target groups:

  • Protests and demonstrations
  • Direct actions
  • Migration, flight and asylum
  • House searches and confiscations

Other categories

  • Dangers due to direct access
  • Rather simple

Sources and further links

  1. How to protect your data at the border, zeit.de, (de), 2019-06-04
  2. Smartphone control in the USA - Don't lie!, deutschlandfunknova.de, (de), 2017-02-20