Cell Phones and Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself

Nobody uses a cell phone just for talking anymore. You text, you take pictures, you browse websites and store numbers, names and information. No wonder the Ontario Privacy Commissioner says that cell phones and PDAs are "the golden eggs" when it comes to identity theft.

There are many ways for identity thieves to wreak havoc with your credit once they have your cell phone. It could be as easy as finding your entry marked "Home," dialing the number and then asking whoever answers, "Hey, do you remember my PIN?" If you’ve stored your PIN in your phone already, it’s even easier.

If you think you’re too smart to be a victim of cell phone identity theft, know this: at the end of July 2009, two computer experts exposed a security flaw in the iPhone that could allow hackers to remotely access and control the phone. (Apple released a security patch, available through iTunes, several days later).

So what can you do to protect your cell phone from identity theft? Here are some tips:

#1 - Create a cell phone password

Always use your password option to lock your phone. The OPC and the Bank of Montreal recommend that passwords be at least eight words long and contain numbers, special characters, and upper- and lower-case letters. Don’t write down your passwords or encryption keys anywhere. BlackBerry also recommends setting your phone to automatically lock after a certain amount of time.

#2 - Don’t store confidential information on your cell phone

Even if an identity thief does crack your password, he or she shouldn’t find anything too useful past that. PINs or credit card numbers should not be stored on your cell phone. Phone book entries should just consist of the person’s first name, not "Mom" or "Girlfriend" or "Home."

#3 - Follow your cell phone’s security updates

Check in with your cell phone manufacturer’s website from time to time to see if there are any important security updates, such as the iPhone’s important update a few weeks ago. Make it even easier on yourself by adding your email address to their newsletter list, or their update page to your RSS reader, so that you’re automatically notified.

#4 - Download security applications for your cell phone

There are lots of anti-virus and security apps out there, but choose carefully. Nobody wants the irony of being scammed because they downloaded a shady security app. Nokia recommends the trusted makers of personal computer anti-virus software: Symantec and Trend Micro, as well as Kaspersky and F-Secure Mobile Security. Visit your cell phone manufacturer’s app store, if they have one, and check out what they recommend. New and improved security apps, including anti-theft and device recovery, are coming out all the time.

Even with tricked-out security apps and all your precautions, someone could still swipe your phone. If your cell phone disappears, notify the authorities. Then check with your cell phone manufacturer or service provider – either on their website or at one of their stores – to see what your options are. Sometimes you may be able to remotely lock or wipe all the information from your cell phone, stopping identity theft before it happens.