Remember: Treat your phone like your wallet. Keep it safe and with you at all times.
What can happen if your mobile device is lost or stolen?
- It may be used to access your money or steal your identity using information stored on your device.
- You may lose irreplaceable data like photos, notes or messages (if it is not backed up).
- Your social media accounts may be accessed, which can enable a cybercriminal to steal your identity using your profile information (such as your date of birth and photo).
- A cybercriminal may use your phone/tablet or its SIM card to rack up telephone charges to your account.
- You may have to cover the cost of a new device, while still paying off the lost or stolen one.
Use the following advice to make your mobile phone or tablet more secure:
-
Set a password, Personal Identification Number (PIN), passcode, gesture or fingerprint that must be entered to unlock the device. Don’t forget to put PINs on your SIM card and voicemail, and ensure your device is set to automatically lock.
-
Install reputable security software that includes antivirus and anti-theft/loss protection – your device’s retailer or service provider can provide recommendations. Only install applications from the official device application store and do not ‘jailbreak’ your device.
-
Use your device’s automatic update feature to install new application and operating system updates as soon as they are available.
-
Set the device to require a password before applications are installed. This will prevent unauthorised modifications to the device. Parental controls could also be used for this purpose.
-
Leave Bluetooth turned off or in undiscoverable mode (hidden) when you are not using it.
-
Ensure your device does not automatically connect to new networks without your confirmation.
-
Record the International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) of your handset. Your IMEI is a 15 or 17 digit number often printed on a label under the battery or found in the settings under general information about your device. If your device is lost or stolen, report this number to your provider and they can stop the handset from being used.
-
Enable the remote locking and/or wiping functions, if your device supports them.
The information stored on your phone is valuable, take these steps to help protect it:
- Back up your data regularly, either with a backup application or by manually syncing the device with a computer.
-
Do not save passwords or PINs as contacts on your phone or tablet.
-
Enable device encryption to protect personal data stored on the device where possible.
-
Check the privacy permissions carefully when installing new apps on your device and only install apps from reputable vendors. Where you can, make apps or profiles private and password-protected. Learn more about protecting yourself from mobile malware.
-
Ensure you thoroughly remove personal data from the device before selling or recycling it.
You also need to be careful about where you use your phone – both online and off:
-
Use public Wi-Fi networks wisely – for example, don’t do your online banking using these networks. Learn how to protect yourself when using public Wi-Fi.
-
Don’t use chargers supplied by third parties or charge electronic devices at public charging stations or USB charging outlets. Only use genuine chargers supplied with electronic devices.
-
When connecting using Bluetooth, do it in private areas only.
-
Use reputable sites and applications when downloading anything from the internet.
-
Log out of websites when you are finished.
-
Turn off location services when you are not using them and limit the applications that can track and use this information.
-
Think before you click. Do not open links or attachments unless you are expecting them and you trust the source. If in doubt, hovering over links often allows you to see the destination URL and you can decide if you recognise the website or email address – although URL shortening can make this difficult.