Smartphones are smart because they’re actually small computers. With them, you can work and play. With the addition of new applications, you can do just about anything.
There are apps for finding restaurants, figuring up your bill in the restaurant, and then where to find a good cup of coffee afterward. There are apps for a myriad of things, and large corporations are adding apps as a way to stay on trend and at the top of their marketing game. One such company is Starbucks.
The coffee giant has recently added a new iPhone app that has some experts worried about identity theft. The app allows customers to send e-gift cards, pay for Starbucks purchases and check Starbucks card balances.
But as with many new apps on the market, experts are warning that if you load your financial data onto your smartphone via an app, you could be risking identity theft.
So if you want to use these apps but keep your data safe, what do you do?
The biggest threat to a smartphone is the possibility that it could be lost. Your best bet to keep your personal data safe on a smartphone is to not enter it onto the phone in the first place. If you must do so, use a password and encrypt the data.
Just as with a computer, your smartphone can get a virus, worm or Trojan. Make sure you install security software and keep your phone’s software up to date. Your phone is also subject to phishing via e-mail and the Web. If you receive an e-mail that contains an embedded link, don’t click on it.
Be smart when it comes to your smartphone. Be diligent about keeping the security on your phone up to date, and don’t use free Wi-Fi to conduct transactions online. Never provide your personal or financial data to anyone online unless you are sure of the person asking.
Tags: cell phone safety, Identity Theft, LifeLock, phishing, smartphone
