Cell Phone Security and Scam Prevention Tips

The first telephone was patented 150 years ago, and today, most people use cell phones for just about everything, not only calls. Phones can be used to check emails, access social media, make purchases, store personal data, do online banking, conduct business, and do countless other tasks. Cell phones have become an important everyday tool; they are now a person’s wallet containing their money and personal ID, and they have also become a target for scammers who want to steal consumers’ money and personal information.

Consumers can protect themselves and their devices from many scams with good ‘digital hygiene’ practices.

· Avoid storing sensitive data on cell phones, especially Social Security numbers, tax-related documents, and financial account numbers.

· Download apps only from official, trusted sources. Apps from unofficial ‘app stores’ may contain viruses or spyware that can access sensitive data without the user’s awareness.

· Turn off unneeded app permissions. Sharing data with fewer sources means there are fewer opportunities for that data to be compromised or misused.

· Avoid connecting to public or open Wi-Fi networks – even if they seem legitimate. Anyone can run a network and give it a trustworthy name, and scammers use this technique to access sensitive data sent or received by connected users.

· Set up security alert emails. These can provide early warning of a SIM swap attack, which allows scammers to impersonate a consumer and remotely hijack their phone data. Consumers who may have been targeted by a SIM swap attack should contact their service carrier right away.

In most cases, scammers cannot access a consumer’s device unless that consumer is tricked into giving them access. The most effective way that consumers can keep control of their cell phone and its data is to practice caution when downloading apps and files, opening links, and responding to messages.