08.15.25
The latest online phishing scams and how to avoid them
by Valeria
To protect data on a mobile device, you should prioritize setting up strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, and taking advantage of features like Face ID or biometrics. Other easy tips include: being careful when installing apps, updating your phone regularly and backing up its data, managing app permissions, and limiting certain actions on public Wi-Fi.
Every day, there are new stories coming out about large data breaches, scams that drained victims’ life savings, and new app features that raise privacy concerns (ahem Instagram Maps). If you’re on a mission to safeguard your data, especially on your phone, then here are seven tips to follow to keep your online data safe and secure.
1. Use strong passwords and biometrics
First, before you safeguard any online data, make sure your physical data is equally protected. Losing your phone in public, or even worse, getting it stolen (especially if you’re traveling) can pose some serious threats to your data, especially sensitive accounts like banking, email, etc. It may be annoying but enable the auto-lock feature and set up a strong password (no digits that match a birthday or family names) as well as biometrics – either facial or fingerprint recognition. You’ll be grateful for that extra layer of protection should you ever lose your phone.
TextNow Tip: Changing passwords every 6 months is an undertaking. You can invest in a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to securely maintain all your passwords for you, so you don’t have to play the game of “guess my password” every time.
2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on sensitive accounts
Sensitive accounts like banking, email, cloud storage, even your messaging (if you’re using a free texting app, for example) should get the strongest protection on your phone. To do that, those accounts should be set up with two-factor authentication, making it impossible to sign in with a password alone (which could be leaked/compromised). Most 2FAs will be set up via a phone number or email, where a code to complete the log-in process is generated in real-time and sent to that number/email inbox, but we actually recommend using an authenticator app, in case your phone number or email is compromised. An example is the Google Authenticator app, which is free and easy to set up.
3. Install apps only from trusted sources
An easy way to avoid malware (that could compromise your personal data) is to install apps only from either the official App Store (if you’re on an iPhone) or the official Google Play Store (if you’re on an Android phone). Do not install apps that come from other third-party marketplaces or websites that don’t lead you to an official app store.
4. Keep your operating system updated
We know that mobile storage can be a touchy subject, and operating system updates can take up more of that limited space — but it’s worth it. Hackers often target older versions of iOS and Android, so a proactive way to keep your phone safe is to just accept those system updates and eliminate yourself as a target altogether.
5. Review app permissions
Every app will ask for permission to use certain functions on your phone. For example, social media apps like Instagram and TikTok will primarily ask for permission to use your camera (so you can take pictures and record videos through the app), your microphone, and your storage to access photos/videos. You can choose to disable those, of course, but then the functionality of those apps will be limited. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to regularly review all your apps’ permissions to ensure that nothing seems out of place, like a weather app that has permission to use your camera or microphone.
6. Back up your data
Should your phone be stolen, or your data wiped, recovery will be easier if you have it backed up. Photos, videos, and other files can easily be stored in a cloud storage account. While most will have a cap on the free version and force you to pay to upgrade for more storage, you can try to split up files between different cloud accounts or regularly audit and delete files that are not necessary (like old screenshots) to save some space.
7. Limit your activity on public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi (like at a coffee shop or McDonald’s) are notorious for not being secure. While using them to scroll through your feed or look something up on a browser is perfectly fine, avoid using them to access banking apps or any other sensitive accounts, as your activity could be easily hacked.
In addition to these tips, you should also educate yourself about common phishing (or smishing) scams, so you’re better prepared to avoid them should you get that random text or email. These are also commonly used as a means for SIM swap scams, which could compromise your accounts, privacy, as well as any 2FAs, so it’s doubly important to always ensure any links you receive are legitimate before clicking on them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mobile Safety
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