The holiday shopping season is nigh, and you know what that means. Yup, you’ve got weeks of frenzied shopping to look forward to. It also means you’re going to open yourself up to more opportunities to lose track of your mobile phone. In fact, NYC cabbies say that they see more people leaving their cellphones in taxi cabs during the Thanksgiving shopping season than any other time of the year.
With hands full of shopping bags and other goodies, it’s going to be even easier to forget a handset in the back of a cab. Your best bet is to always check your belongings before leaving a cab, but you can also take steps to prevent your mobile device from betraying you by encrypting your data and using strong passwords. Credent Technologies offers the following tips to help safeguard your data, in case you end up losing it in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
- Back-up your mobile device regularly.
- If you have important and sensitive company data on your mobile device get your IT department to encrypt it – they can do this remotely – meaning only you can read it!
- Use a strong password on all your devices which combine numbers, letters and symbols.
- Put your name and number with details of a reward on your device if found and returned.
- Use your devices security features – such as the Personal Identification Number (PIN) number which only you know to stop others getting access to it!
- Use your head – don’t keep data on your laptop or mobile phone that others could use against you – such as revealing pictures.
- Don’t save old SMS or emails on your handset that you don’t need anymore – you’d be surprised how many people keep their default password emails on their mobiles and other hugely sensitive information like PINs, bank account details or passwords!
- Check your message folders such as drafts, saved and outbox as there will be lots of information you just don’t need to keep there. Look at your call list – delete any numbers you no longer need.
- Physically mark your handset with personal information. This will greatly reduce the second-hand value of the mobile if it is stolen.
- Record your IMEI: Every mobile phone has a unique 15-digit electronic serial number that can be referenced by dialling *#06#.
- Notify your network carrier AND the police immediately in the event of loss or theft. Tell them your IMEI number and any other identifying features on your phone. (PS – If the device contains company data – emails, customer or employee records, documents, etc. – inform your employer also. You/They may be required to inform the appropriate authorities or a potential data breach).
- Don’t leave your device open to access (e.g. leaving Bluetooth or WiFi on, visible and unsecured).