Most of us are used to having our smartphones with us at every moment of the day– until we feel that all too familiar and startling pang of fear. You pat your pockets, empty out bags and purses, retrace your steps but realize you’ve lost your phone!

What’s worse, security concerns around smartphones are usually an afterthought, so by the time your phone has left your hands, it’s too late to put valuable safety precautions in place. Don’t fall prey to hackers or strangers that might want to poach your technology for personal information. Secure your phone with Record Vault and follow these tips for additional safety.

Treat Your Phone Like Your Wallet

Smartphones retail from anywhere between $100 and $600– sometimes even more! Still, that doesn’t stop people from leaving their phones out in vulnerable places. It’s a common practice for people to take them out during meetings, lunch with friends, class or at parties. You wouldn’t do the same thing with your wallet would you? Treat your phone just as you would your billfold or purse. Take it with you at all times and only take it out in environments that you know to be safe.

Lock Your Phone

Whether you use an iOS, Windows or Android phone, you should have the ability to lock your phone so that strangers can’t gain immediate access to its interface. Surprisingly, many people don’t take advantage of this basic, easy-to-use feature! Make sure you use a password that isn’t too easy to guess. A mixture of letters, numbers and characters assures that your information will be harder to get to.

Wipe Your Screen

Some phones give you the option to lock your phone with a gestural pattern. This can be an effective way of securing your screen, but remember that if a thief holds your phone at the right angle, they might be able to retrace your finger’s path by looking at smudges that are left behind. If this is your preferred locking mechanism, always wipe afterwards!

Be Aware of Physical Surroundings

A potential drawback of smartphones is that they can become incredibly engrossing with their multiple diversions. Don’t get too buried in ever-incoming notifications. You might pull your phone out in a bad neighborhood or crowded area where a thief can easily snatch it right out of your hands!

Use Secure Networks

You might be desperate to access the web from your smartphone or tablet, but using a network that you don’t recognize is unsafe. If the network is not password protected, anyone can get on. Free, open networks are often times unregulated and more prone to illicit activity from hackers, so avoid logging onto them whenever possible.

Oh….Also, don’t forget to use RecordVault to keep the data on your phone secure as well.

With these few simple tips in place, you’ll be on your way to developing safer habits when it comes to using your smartphone. Make sure to share them with friends, family and coworkers to ensure that they’re practicing smartphone safety, too!

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