A lot of smart phone users are doing something that’s not too intelligent. They are not password protecting their phones. When they don’t, they are putting their personally identifiable information at risk. When you lose a cell phone it is always annoying – and it happens to one in five smart phone users – but if you lose it and someone a bit unscrupulous finds it, this can lead to much bigger problems including identity theft.
Instead of trying to sell the phone, which is what people seem to think happens when criminals steal or find cell phones, identity thieves will be more than happy to hang on to it. According to Get Safe Online, “It’s what is actually on your phone that counts more than the handset itself.†What’s on the phone can include phone numbers and addresses for the phone owners’ acquaintances, passwords for personal accounts and even possibly financial information. After all, a good smart phone can store as much sensitive information as can a laptop computer.
Most all smart phones on the market today have an option for the user to lock the phone, but less than half – a full 67 percent – do not take advantage of this feature. Part of the reason is that people find it to be inconvenient. If a person wishes to unlock it, it’s necessary to enter a personal identification number, usually of four digits. In reality, this only takes seconds to do, and you shouldn’t have to do it unless the phone isn’t in use for a preset amount of time.
It’s a good idea to take advantage of this option so that the phone will lock automatically if it’s left out in public and, of course, if it gets stolen. It’s worth having to deal with a temporary annoyance. When choosing that four digit number, it’s important to pick something besides a birth date or the last four digits of a Social Security number. It’s also a good idea to ensure no one is looking over your shoulder when you type in the PIN. You never know who could be a potential thief.
Since some thieves can hack into phones even when they are password protected, be careful what you do when using the phone. It’s probably not the safest to store any type of account information on the smart phone, just as it’s not to save it on a laptop.
If your phone does get lost or stolen, contact your carrier immediately to get your number canceled and see if you can get the phone locked entirely. Time is of the essence, so make sure to do it as soon as you notice the device is missing. If you discard your phone intentionally, find out how to clear the memory so that nothing gets left behind waiting to be found. It varies depending on the phone in question so please check with you manufacturer and carrier.
For a little extra help protecting yourself from identity theft please explore our site including our blog which has many identity theft prevention tips.