Seriously thoughtful Important to think about -- Your most dangerous possession? Your smartphone

[kennyc]

Your most dangerous possession? Your smartphone

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Forget what's in your wallet -- beware your smartphone. It's becoming one of your most dangerous possessions.

If your phone was stolen a few years ago, the thief could make prank calls and read your text messages. Today, that person can destroy your social life -- you said what on Facebook?! -- and wreak havoc on your finances.

Now that smartphones double as wallets and bank accounts -- allowing users to manage their finances, transfer money, make payments, deposit checks and swipe their phones as credit cards -- they are very lucrative scores for thieves. And with 30% of phone subscribers owning iPhones, BlackBerrys and Droids, there are a lot of people at risk.

Rest:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/11/pf/smartphone_dangers/

[hike_gc]

I have an Android phone and found mylookout.com. It's software you install on your phone to protect it from viruses and hacking. And if you lose your phone, you can use mylookout to locate your phone and, if you purchase the premium plan for $30/year, wipe the data if you are concerned about what might happen if the wrong person gets their hands on your phone.

I am not affiliated with mylookout.com. I just think it's a cool service. The service is available for other phones as well.

[phenomshel]

I never, ever, use my smartphone to access or store any financial information. The worst someone could do would be use my Facebook account. I'm so nutty anyway, most people probably wouldn't even notice.

[HarryT]

At least with an iPhone it can be remotely wiped if you lose it.

[bevdeforges]

Forget the data security angle - here in France, the news has recently been full of stories about gangs who steal "smart phones" (probably mostly iPhones as they are very popular here) in the metro in Paris.

One young woman (in her twenties) got pushed down the stairs when they were going for her phone, hit her head and died. It may not be long before someone gets pushed in front of one of the trains. The iPhones make very popular targets for thieves and they're getting aggressive about stealing them.

Frankly, I'm perfectly happy with my "stupid" phone.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by bevdeforges

Frankly, I'm perfectly happy with my "stupid" phone.

I'm perfectly happy with my "stupid" phone, too.

[GeoffC]

Nokia 5110 ....

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Nokia 5110 ....

I have a Nokia as well (I can't recall the model name, my phone is a 4 year old model). The battery is still going strong, and my phone has taken more drops than I care to recall, with no damage.

This is a bit off topic, but has anyone read anything about e-book readers being a target for pickpockets and thieves? I'm just curious.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I have a Nokia as well (I can't recall the model name, my phone is a 4 year old model). The battery is still going strong, and my phone has taken more drops than I care to recall, with no damage.

Mine is close on 12 years.

This is a bit off topic, but has anyone read anything about e-book readers being a target for pickpockets and thieves? I'm just curious.

No, but then I've never, yet, seen one in the wild .... (unless they've already been pinched.....)

[MickeyC]

I lock my iPhone with a password. I started doing this after I lost my original Iphone on a flight. I called AT&T and had it shut down right away and did use the password option on its replacement.

[Sweetpea]

Good luck with stealing information from my phone... I think it holds about a dozen numbers. And a few text messages (mostly towards and from my mother, asking when she'll arrive or announcing my arrival).

My PDA holds a bit more information, like my phone number and address. And a few more addresses in my address book (as it synchronises with Outlook). Again, nothing more than you can find any any phonebook.

And bevdeforges, I'd probably hit them on the head with my phone. I know my phone will survive

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by hike_gc

I have an Android phone and found mylookout.com. It's software you install on your phone to protect it from viruses and hacking. And if you lose your phone, you can use mylookout to locate your phone and, if you purchase the premium plan for $30/year, wipe the data if you are concerned about what might happen if the wrong person gets their hands on your phone.

I am not affiliated with mylookout.com. I just think it's a cool service. The service is available for other phones as well.

You should try WaveSecure or Theft Aware. I use WaveSecure with the free version of My Lookout. WaveSecure has uninstall protection. If someone steals your phone and uninstall MyLookout before you remotely lock it, you're screwed. With WaveSecure you need a password to unstall it and if you have a SIM card, as soon as you change it out, it'll lock the phone. The alarm is the worst I've heard. I threw my phone when I first heard it. It's a screaming person, like out of a horror movie. Plus, a the phone is locked, you can flash messages on the screen to the thief, just in case he wants to return it... or whatever.


A friend of mine lost his Galaxy S and I got a text from wavesecure saying, "Your friend with phone number xxx-xxx-xxxx may have lost his phone. At 10:19pm the sim card was changed out to phone number xxx-xxx-xxxx at oo' E 000' n." They gave the coordinates to the guy's house that matched the phone number. Crazy. Brandon White who lives at Sheridan and 27th.

Originally Posted by HarryT

At least with an iPhone it can be remotely wiped if you lose it.

Which phone can't do that? I believe the program for iphone is a monthly fee while Wave Secure is $20 for the entire year.

[EowynCarter]

With WaveSecure you need a password to unstall it and if you have a SIM card, as soon as you change it out, it'll lock the phone.

What if you want to change provider ? How do you tell wave secure that ?

As far as security goes, i went for the "Don't show-off your phone". Worked so far. And my phone is not a high end phone.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

Which phone can't do that? I believe the program for iphone is a monthly fee while Wave Secure is $20 for the entire year.

No. It used to be part of a pay-for service, but now it's a standard part of the operating system.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

What if you want to change provider ? How do you tell wave secure that ?

As far as security goes, i went for the "Don't show-off your phone" worked so far. And my phone is not a high end phone.

You have an account with Wave Secure not your provider. You can authorize or unauthorize at your will.

Almost everyone I know has a smartphone now. I rarely see reg. phones anymore. People leave them laying on the bar all the time, which I think is a bit reckless, if not for the spillage possibility.