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Get Tambo
Get Tambo
How it works

Setup, and then silence

Tambo takes about three minutes to set up and then does nothing visible until an unlock attempt fails. This is the whole of that setup, step by step.

  1. Create your account

    Your name, email address and WhatsApp number. Every report is delivered to these, so use details you can reach without this phone. A work email and a number on a second handset are the ideal pair.

  2. Confirm your device and its IMEI

    Tambo reads the make, model and Android version from the phone itself. Android does not let an app read the IMEI or the serial number, so you type those in from Settings → About phone, or by dialling *#06#. Write the IMEI down somewhere other than the phone. It is the first thing the police and your network will ask you for.

  3. Grant three permissions and device administrator

    Location all the time, camera and notifications, plus device administrator so Tambo cannot be uninstalled without your PIN. Each one is explained in the app before Android asks for it, and the permissions page on this site sets out exactly what stops working if you decline.

  4. Choose who receives reports

    Your email address and WhatsApp number, plus a trusted contact who will still have a phone when you do not. Ask that person first, because you are arranging for them to receive your location and your photographs.

  5. Set a Tambo PIN

    The PIN stops a thief opening Tambo and switching protection off. That is the last step. Tambo is free while we are in beta, so there is nothing to pay and protection starts straight away.

  6. Send yourself a test report

    Do this on the first day, and again whenever you change your email address or your number. A theft is a bad moment to find out that reports were going to an address you stopped using.

What a report contains

Both email and WhatsApp carry the same evidence. The email is the copy to keep, and the one to forward to the police or an insurer.

TamboWhatsApp · 14:32
Alert
Front camera · placeholder · 14:32:04
LocationNgong Rd, Nairobi · ±14 m
Failed attempts3
IMEI356938 03 5195 88 0
Do not go there yourself. Take this to the police with the IMEI.

Every report includes

  • The front-camera photograph, stamped with the device, the date and the time
  • The location, with its accuracy radius and the source of the fix
  • The time of the attempt, and how many attempts had failed
  • The unlock method that was tried: fingerprint, PIN or pattern
  • The device make and model, and the IMEI you entered
  • A link to the full location trail
  • One line of safety advice, every time

Questions people actually ask

Does the thief see anything?
No. Tambo does not change its icon, sound an alarm or put a warning on screen. The phone carries on behaving normally. An app that announces itself is one that gets uninstalled before it can report anything.
What if they turn off mobile data?
Readings queue up on the device and send the moment any connection comes back, including a Wi-Fi network the phone has joined before. The last position it obtained before going offline is already with you.
What if they factory reset the phone?
With device administrator permission switched on, Tambo spots the attempt and sends a final report with its last known location before it can be removed. No app survives every reset, which is why the IMEI matters so much. That is the number your network and the police can act on.
Why do you need my IMEI instead of reading it yourselves?
Current versions of Android do not allow an app like Tambo to read the IMEI or the serial number. You enter it during setup, from Settings → About phone or by dialling *#06#. Typing it in has one useful side effect: it makes you record the number somewhere other than the phone.
Can I use Tambo on my child's phone, or my partner's?
On a child's phone, yes, if you are the parent or guardian. On an adult's phone, only if they know Tambo is installed and have agreed to it. Using Tambo to monitor an adult without their consent breaches our terms, may be a criminal offence, and will get the account closed.
Is Tambo really free?
Yes. Every feature is included while we are in beta, with no card to enter and nothing to cancel. If a paid plan arrives later, you get at least 14 days' notice by email and in the app, and Tambo keeps working until you decide what to do.
Who can see my location history?
You, the recipients you nominate, and the hosting provider that stores it in encrypted form. Our own staff cannot see photographs or locations by default. Access needs a recorded reason, and photographs need a second approval on top of that. None of it is sold.
Can I delete everything?
Yes, and you can do it yourself without contacting us. Deleting your account removes your account, your devices, your locations, your photographs and your event history. Payment records are kept for seven years because tax law requires it. The deletion page sets out the detail.