Protect your mobile phone

How thieves target you

To help keep your handset and data safe, follow these tips:

• Avoid leaving your phone unattended, out of your sight, or left on a table. Thieves can grab a phone from a table in seconds or can distract you to take it.
• Keep an eye on who’s around you when using your phone in public. Thieves use ‘shoulder-surfing’ (looking over your shoulder) to watch or film you entering passcodes or see your data.
• Avoid entering personal information in a public space, and wherever possible, use biometric authentication, such as Face ID or Fingerprint, to access your phone and sensitive apps rather than passcodes.
• Never give your phone to people you don’t know or have only just met. Thieves may ask to borrow your phone or offer to enter their number. Don’t let them
• Put your phone away when you’ve finished using it.

Securing your phone in case it's stolen

If your phone is not well protected and it gets stolen or lost, thieves could access your banking apps, get into personal accounts, and even steal your identity.

Consider whether apps containing sensitive personal information, such as banking apps, need to be on your phone at all. Some may be better kept on a tablet or other device that you don't routinely carry with you.

Use your phone’s locking feature

Choose a strong PIN, passcode, password, or pattern, or use biometric authentication, such as Face ID or Fingerprint. Passwords are harder to 'shoulder-surf' than short PIN codes.

Set the auto-lock to activate itself after a short period of time.

Activate your phone's built-in anti-theft protection

For iPhones, use 'Stolen Device Protection’ to prevent your phone's key security settings being changed if it's stolen.

Hide applications such as banking applications in hidden folders by:

• pressing and holding on the app
• pressing ‘Require Face ID’
• pressing ‘Hide and Require Face ID’

Find further guidance on how to do this at Apple Support (UK).

For Android phones, use ‘Theft Detection Lock’ to activate your device's motion sensor feature. Your phone will automatically lock if it detects unusual movement, for example, if it’s snatched.

You can also hide applications in secure or safe folders. This allows the folder to be locked with a different passcode to the device itself. Further guidance on how to do this can be found on your phone manufacturer’s help pages.

Get your IMEI number

Your phone's IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number can help identify your phone if it’s lost or stolen. You can get the IMEI number by typing *#06# on your phone keypad. Keep a note of it somewhere other than on your phone. 

Keep your software regularly updated

This will make sure both your device and apps have the latest security settings. You can set your phone to auto update in the settings menu.

Use a tracking app

You could consider setting up a tracking app on your phone so you can see where it is from another device like a laptop. Use it as soon as possible, before thieves have a chance to disable it.

Turn off message previews

Turn off message previews, so that thieves won’t see any messages about reset or login codes when your phone is locked.

Protect high-value apps

Secure high-value apps, such as banking apps and digital wallets, behind biometric identification. Alternatively, use strong passwords that you don't use on other accounts. Never store these passwords on a 'note' file on your phone where a thief could find them.

Make sure you can still access your data

Make sure:

• your phone data is regularly backed up
• there’s somewhere separate to your handset that you can get access codes sent to (two-step verification codes) to verify access from another device
• you keep important information like family and friends’ phone numbers and passwords somewhere else, not just on your phone
• photographs of identity documents stored on your phone are hidden behind passwords otherwise these can be used by thieves to apply for loans in your name. Photographs can also be secured in hidden folders

Help setting your phone up

See your device's help pages for help with device location tracking, account recovery and message preview settings.

Apple help pages for iPhones

Google help pages for Android phones

You can also refer to your phone's manufacturer website for help.

If your phone is stolen

Your personal data may be at risk. It's important you act fast.

Report the crime to us as soon as you can.

If you’ve been hurt, feel unsafe or the crime has only just happened, call 999.

You can also report the crime to us online. Or call 101 for non-emergencies.

Include details of your device (such as the IMEI number) in your report as well as any fraudulent transactions.

You should: 

• block your phone using another device. You can use ‘Remote Lock’ on Android (this needs to be activated in your settings first) or ‘Lost Mode’ on iPhone
• contact any banks and other financial providers so they can cancel or freeze any accounts linked to your phone
• change passwords for any sensitive apps or accounts that are on your phone. You should do this for your email, social media and banking apps first
• force all devices and applications to log out of your accounts and
  notify your phone provider so that 2SV messages don’t get sent to your number. You should also give them your IMEI number so they can block your device

If you suspect fraud

Keep an eye out for unusual activity in any of your banking accounts linked to your phone. This includes transactions you didn’t make or email notifications of an account sign-in.

If you suspect someone may have stolen your details, you should alert your bank immediately. You should also change the passwords for apps.

Any transactions made after your phone has been reported stolen may be reimbursed by your bank.