Today Americans take their smartphones everywhere. From home to work, over lunch and dinner, we use our devices more than ever before.This last month Facebook reported that the average cell phone user has their phone with them 73% of the time. Even before we go to sleep, many of us are checking notifications, or responding to emails. With so much valuable data now available at our fingertips, how can we keep these miniature portals secure from outside predators? At Fairfax State Savings Bank, we want to help you keep your information safe by offering these security tips:

1. Update Your Phone’s Password. If you don’t already have a password protected phone, turn on this feature ASAP. For additional security, change your phone’s password each month.
2. Put Protection in Place. Should your phone fall into a stranger’s hands, be sure they cannot access your personal information. Activate the setting in your phone to erase all content after consistent failed logins. If you have everything backed up on the cloud, you should be able to reload everything to a new device once you have one. Additionally, if you believe your iPhone is lost, adding the Find my iPhone app could save you time and money. Make sure to set-up the app after you install it, so should your phone go missing, you have a different device working to find it.
3. Only Use Secure Wifi. Public wifi is great for searching things on the web, as well as checking out the latest news. However, you don’t want to use this type of internet to check your personal accounts, or other sensitive information. Limit any internet consumption while in these hotspots, and only access your private information through a secure internet connection.
4. Always logout. Whether it’s on your phone, or the shared computer in your living room, always make sure you fully signed out of a program containing personal information. This is relevant for things such as your Online Banking Portal, company websites where you pay bills, or other web pages that may display your private documents. This will ensure that should someone stumble upon your device, the information is locked and hidden, instead of open and vulnerable.

By staying on top of your smartphone security, you can protect vital information and still get the benefits of this valuable tool. Next time you’re browsing through social media, be sure to check out our page, for more financial tips and tricks!