Mobile phone users are missing out on 3 anti-theft settings that need to be switched on to prevent bank raiding attacks
ANDROID users have a host of hidden features that can help protect them against bank raiding attacks on their phone.
But to benefit from them you may need to switch them on in the settings.
Thieves are constantly evolving their attacks online and on the streets.
We recently heard how a man had £21,000 drained from his bank account after his phone was snatched from his hand on London Underground.
So it’s a good idea to take advantage of all the protections available on Android to keep your money safe from physical threats.
Theft Detection Lock
The most obvious way thieves will try to steal your phone and rummage around inside it is by physically snatching it from your hands.
During these moments, the shock can make it difficult to react quick enough.
While the phone itself it probably gone forever, you can still avoid them going through it.
Android’s latest Theft Detection Lock feature cleverly knows when your phone has been stolen by detecting the motion associated with such an act.
When this is detected, the phone will automatically lock your screen to prevent the criminal getting easy access to your banking apps and more.
You can switch this on by going to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection and switching on Theft detection lock.
Offline Device Lock
Another trick thieves try is disconnecting your phone from online services so you can’t remotely lock it or try to track its location.
Offline Device Lock automatically locks your screen to help protect your data even when your device is off the grid.
You can set this up by going to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection and switching on Offline device lock.
Faster remote lock
You can already lock your phone remotely using Find My Device but this requires you to remember your login details, which might be a lot to ask when you’re stressed out from having your phone stolen.
To speed things up there’s another way – simply using a phone number.
“You’ll be able to lock the screen of your phone with just your phone number and a quick security challenge using any device,” Google explains.
“This buys you time to recover your account details and access additional helpful options in Find My Device, including sending a full factory reset command to completely wipe the device.”
You switch this on by going to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection > Remote Lock and switching on Use Remote Lock then follow the on-screen instructions.
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