18 Cell Phone Security Tips to Protect You Against Identity and Information Theft

8. Allowing your browser history to be saved for lengthy periods of time can offer some useful information to a savvy th1ef.  Make sure your settings are such that eliminate the history as quickly as allowed. Let your home computer be the place you store that type of information if you must.

9. Protect your friends and families from identity th3ft. Do not keep comprehensive contact information stored in your phone. Imagine the harm that could befall your loved ones if you were to have their names, birthdates, email addresses, and relationship to you saved for anyone to see.

10. When engaged in a conversation in public, do not readily reveal personal data. If it is required, save the conversation for a time when you are in private. If the phone cal cannot wait and you must provide this type of information only do so if you have access to a secure area which limits the potential for strangers to overhear.

11. Don’t leave your phone out when it isnt’ in use. No point in making a th1ef’s job easy, is there? Keep your cell phone away whenever possible.

12. Register your cell phone with The National Mobile Property Register. This will make the process of getting your phone returned to you easier for the police. Report your cell phone missing, lost, or stolen as soon as you notice it.

13. Do NOT leave your phone visible in the car when you leave it there. Half of all cell phone th3fts occur in vehicles.

14. Do NOT open texts from unknown or unfamiliar sources. These could be malicious software waiting to steal your information or encouraging you to visit a particular website with the intent of retrieving certain information.

15. Report suspicious activity or issues with service immediately. Overage charges could be caused by malware texts or by someone gaining access to your service and using to attack other people.

16. Avoid using downloadable software unless it is from a trusted source or has been deemed acceptable by a trusted source.

17. Disable remote capabilities when they are not in use to limit the opportunity for information being retrieved in that manner.

18. Encrypt your information if you must keep it on your cell phone. Some devices offer the option to encrypt files or the software to do it.