TIPS TO MAKE YOUR PHONE SAFE ( Security Tips)

These common-sense tips will help keep you and your information safe, from locking your phone with a pin to installing a security app.

Here are eight steps to make your smartphone and the data you save on it more secure:

1. Personal information should not be shared.

It's possible that the SMS message that appears to be from your bank isn't. If you receive requests for account information through email or text, contact the company directly to confirm the request. Tap links in unsolicited emails or messages with the same caution.

2. To lock your phone, use a pin, password, or pattern.

It's simple to set this up. For instructions on most AndroidTM smartphones, click to Location & Security Settings. These are available to iOS users.

4. Make a backup of your data.

This is more about securing and restoring your data in the event of a calamity. You can save your contacts, music, images, videos, and documents to the cloud with Backup Assistant Plus and Verizon Cloud.

5. Update your operating system and apps on a regular basis.

Both of these are usually updated on a regular basis, not just to provide new features but also to improve security.

6. After you've made a payment, log out of any websites you've visited.

If your bank or shop on your smartphone, log out after you've completed your transactions. Other suggestions include not saving your usernames and passwords on your phone and refraining from making transactions while using public Wi-Fi.

7. When not in use, turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®.

You might think of them as methods to connect to anything, but they can also be used by thieves to gain access to your device and contents.

8. Keep your money safe.

It can be really stressful to lose your smartphone. 200,000 devices are lost, stolen, or damaged every day. The hefty out-of-contract cost of replacing a lost smartphone with a similar make and model may surprise you.

Consider Total Mobile Protection to keep this from happening. If your gadget is lost, stolen, damaged, or has a mechanical or electrical flaw after the manufacturer's warranty ends, you'll get a replacement device as soon as the next day.