A wireless communication device (and its related method of operation) includes, if invoked, password protected access to data stored therewithin and/or to normal device operations and further includes duress password checking logic that automatically causes a duress message to be sent if a duress password has been entered. The duress message is preferably sent without maintaining any user accessible indication of such sending. It is also preferred that the password checking logic automatically cause an end-of-duress message to be sent if a normal password is entered after a duress password has been entered. A plurality of different duress passwords may be entered into a duress password portion of data memory in the device.