How much do you store on your phone and how safe is it?

By Josh Smith

These days, your smartphone has more in common with your wallet than it does the first flip phone you purchased.

As more of our lives become digital, our phones have become a constant companion with access to incredible amounts of personal and financial information. Unfortunately, this means that much of our private data is always on the go, and easy to lose.

What all do you store on your phone?

 

• Bank Information
• Personal Photos 
• Login and Passwords
• Membership Information 
• And much more.

If you don’t take a few precautions, this personal information could easily fall into the hands of anyone who has access to your phone. You might say, “No one would want to steal my information, I don’t have enough money to take.” But I assure you, thieves don’t care, they’ll take your information and sell it to other thieves.

In addition to unscrupulous people who have access to your phone, Android users need to be sure that they don’t get infected with malware. Just like your computer can leak your information to a thief if it is infected, malicious apps can steal your information or cause you to be charged for calling and texting premium phone numbers.

How to Secure Your Phone

Aside from storing passwords on your phone, the rest of the information listed above is fairly safe to keep on your device if you take a few smart steps when setting up your phone and the apps with access to it.

Lock Your Phone – All modern smartphones allow you to lock the device with a password. This PIN number can be a set of numbers or an easy to remember connect the dots code.

However you plan to do it, you should secure your phone with a lock code. In an emergency, your spouse or child could still make an emergency call, so you don’t have to worry about shutting out help when it is needed.

Lock Your Apps – Any banking app worth using offers the ability to add another layer of protection by locking it with another PIN. Just like you shouldn’t reuse passwords, don’t use the same PIN you use elsewhere for this.

Your banking apps, PayPal and other apps that store private information likely has a built in locking tool. Check the settings or the app manufacturer’s web page to figure out how to set it up for your specific device.

Security Solution – If you are on Android, you may want to get a security solution to protect your smartphone from malware. You can find several offerings on the Android Market, including Lookout Mobile, Norton and McAfee apps.

These apps can help keep bad apps off your phone and some can even remotely wipe your smartphone if you lose it so that no one can get access to your information. Check out Lookout and Norton first, as they offer better free services.

Common Sense – When you are downloading apps to your phone, use common sense. If an app has a long list of permissions that seem out of place, Google the app first to find out if it is legit. You should also be sure to stick to well known app stores like the Android Market and Amazon’s App Store.

Your smartphone carries a lot of personal and financial information, but with some common sense and a few passwords, you can keep your information safe.