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Cell phones are not just devices for making calls anymore.  They are more like personal computers that we keep in our pockets and purses.  But along with all of the convenient things that a cell phone can do there are risks involved if our phone ever falls into the wrong hands.

Many people will keep passwords, medical data, and other personal information on their phones.  This can be a dangerous thing because I think all of us at one point or another have lost tract of our phones.  Ever had to have someone “call you” so you could find where your phone was?

There are many ways a hacker can use your phone to not only steal your identity but also to make life really miserable for you.  The first thing you should do is lock your phone so no one can just pick it up and browse through your information.  I have a locked pattern on my phone so that it would take a more advanced hacker to fiddle around with it.  This is a very basic step, and yes it can be annoying to have to access your phone every time with that set pattern, but the pros by far out-weigh the cons.

You should also avoid having your phone’s internet browser remember your passwords for you.  I love checking out my banking information from my phone.  It’s very convenient for me to be able to check my balance whenever I want.  But this also exposes me to potential risk.  I make sure that my usernames and passwords of any websites I browse on my phone are NOT remembered by the browser.  The last thing I want is to lose my phone so a hacker can check out my balance and try to make a transfer.

Often our email is accessible from our phones as well.  You might be surprised at how much information you can gather by checking out someone’s email, and hackers want to keep it that way so you don’t try to protect your valuable and personal information.

There are a few security apps for your phone that you can get that will help protect you from hackers and identity thieves.   First, there is a lockout mobile security app that will allow you to track your phone if it is ever stolen or lost.  This is the first step you can take in making sure your phone does not fall into the wrong hands.  You should also get an antivirus app that will keep your phone running smoothly and also keep your information from leaving your phone.   If you think you already have malware on your phone you should get a cleaner.  If you have an Android phone you can check out the Lookout DroidDream Cleaner that has some great reviews.  It is light weight as far as battery life goes and is pretty thorough as well.

Protecting your phone should be just as important to you as protecting your computer.  After all, many phones are more powerful than computers these days and they have even more private data.

You can check out some of the best identity theft protection programs available by checking out Phillips site at www.SafeIdentityProtection.com.  You can also read Lifelock reviews and other reviews of top ID theft prevention services.