How to protect personal data on your phone

The findings of a new Virgin Mobile study reveal that 66 percent of customers have no anti-virus software installed on their mobile phone.

Cybercrime and online fraud has claimed 9.4 million victims in the UK so far and people know it’s a problem.

A massive 94 percent of Britons believe in the importance of data security, although it seems most of them don’t think it’s important enough to install anti-virus software on their phones.

A 2015 Ofcom survey revealed that smartphones are the most popular device for Britons to access the internet, with 24 million using them for online shopping and almost 23 million using them to access online banking.

5 million Britons have used a smartphone to send nude photos, with half of those sending naked selfies over unsecured public Wi-Fi.

FAQ: Using public WiFi – how to keep your data safe

With smartphone usage higher than ever and so much ‘sensitive’ material being sent through unsecured devices and networks, why do so many customers not install anti-virus software?

Top 10 phone security tips

What could you lose?

If you fail to secure your device, not only are you putting your phone at risk, you’re also making all of your online accounts vulnerable.

Cybercrime is a genuine threat and bad habits means that one successful attack can easily compromise all of your accounts – from Facebook to online banking. You can imagine the damage a criminal could do when they’re given access to everything.

It’s not difficult to protect yourself. Simply follow our top ten tips above to drastically strengthen your security and rest easy knowing that your most intimate data (and photos) are safe.