You wouldn’t leave your front door wide open after heading out. You wouldn’t rest your bicycle against a gate without securing it with a bike lock. You wouldn’t pick an obvious password for your debit card, like “0000.” These are all precautions that you take to protect yourself from intruders and keep your private property safe.
You’ll want to consider taking more precautions to keep those same types of intruders out of your smartphone. Read ahead to find out what you can do. You also need to gather knowledge about how to unlock a Samsung phone if you want to freedom to use the network provider of your choice.
Passwords
The first line of defense that you’ll have against intruders is a lockscreen. Set up a strong password or passcode to unlock the screen. If your smartphone model happens to have thumbprint unlocking or face-scan unlocking, you should use one or both of those to get in. A stranger won’t be able to guess their way through these defenses.
Strong passwords aren’t just important for your lockscreen. You’ll want to have them for all of your apps and accounts that are accessible through your smartphone — this is important for protecting your data from hackers.
VPN
When your smartphone is connected to public WiFi, it’s more vulnerable to intruders. Hackers can access your device through the unsecured connection and wreak havoc. To protect yourself, you should avoid using public WiFi — especially when you’re accessing sensitive data like your online banking. One of the best ways to protect yourself is through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) — this will give you a secure connection that intruders can’t access.
Anti-Theft Apps
If you’re really worried that someone will grab your smartphone out of your hands or stealthily slide it from your pocket when you’re not looking, you should think about downloading anti-theft apps.
Anti-theft apps come with protective features like alarms, GPS tracking and photo capturing of anyone who gets the lockscreen password wrong. Some apps allow you to remotely wipe your data from your smartphone in case a thief manages to get through your defenses. By wiping your data, you can guarantee that they won’t access any sensitive information.
Safety and Stolen Phones
Even though you’ll have GPS tracking with anti-theft apps, you should never try to retrieve your smartphone when someone steals it. It’s too risky. You shouldn’t put yourself in danger just to retrieve a piece of tech — even if that piece of tech is essential in your everyday life.
In this unfortunate circumstance, you can file a police report and give them the GPS coordinates to aid in an investigation. If the theft took place in a location that has private security (for example, a college campus), you should also let them know about the incident and file any necessary reports.
Then, you should accept the loss and get a new smartphone. If you have an extended warranty plan, you might get coverage for theft/loss. If the theft took place in your home, your homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance could also offer some coverage. Without these options, you’ll have to cover the replacement costs out of pocket.
If you don’t have enough savings to get a replacement right away, you could put the charge onto your credit card and then whittle down the balance later. Or you could apply for a personal loan online — just look at the options for loans near me and see whether you’re eligible to apply. If you’re approved for an online loan, you can use the funds to get an affordable replacement and then follow a steady repayment plan later.
These tips can help you keep intruders from getting into your smartphone. Follow them and keep your data secret and safe.
