The present invention permits safeguarding of private data entered into a memory chip of a cell phone by permitting the cell phone owner to erase the data in a lost or stolen phone, using an preset erase code and erase command in the cell phone or the network base station, and disabling or erasing circuitry on the memory chip, preferably an EEPROM chip. Further, a user of the cell phone may obtain information of a person or entity, via a cellular communications network, by dialing a directory assistance number and requesting information associated with the name of the person or entity the user has requested information of. The information may be provided to the user in the form of a vcard and may include, among other information, telephone and facsimile numbers, mailing addresses, instant messaging addresses, maps or directions, digital photos or videos, and the like.