Martin Lewis has warned that mobile phone theft is on the rise and thieves are increasingly using the devices to access people’s online banking and personal data
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has delivered an urgent alert to mobile phone users on five critical measures they should implement to stop cyber criminals from breaking into their bank accounts and stealing personal information in case their phones are stolen.
During his popular ITV show, the financial guru drew attention to a concerning 40 per cent surge in mobile phone thefts around London, with statistics similarly increasing across the country. In the year up to March 2024, close to 80,000 individuals lodged reports of stolen phones, a rise of 153 per cent compared to the preceding period.
Addressing The Martin Lewis Money Show Live viewers, he issued a stark warning: “There are thieves who want to access your finances by your phone. It is growing. It is dangerous. Protect yourself please people.”
He emphasised the importance of keeping both iPhone and Android phones secure, urging users to remain wary of ‘shoulder surfers’—those sneaky onlookers who may try to steal your screen lock codes while you’re typing them in, as reported by the Daily Record.
Martin Lewis offered his advice on mobile phone security, stating: “The crucial thing is they’re not just trying to nick your phone, some of them are trying to access your financial data from your phone. You have to protect yourselves on this folks.”
Martin Lewis mobile phone security tips
Martin said: “The crucial thing is they’re not just trying to nick your phone, some of them are trying to access your financial data from your phone. You have to protect yourselves on this folks.”
Martin’s top tips include:
- Use remote tracking apps to locate device and suspend payments
- Enable biometrics on both phone and banking app – if you use a pin, make sure they are not the same
- Dial *#06# to get your IMEI number, screenshot it and save it
- Turn off ‘preview notifications’ to protect your lockscreen
- Check out your phone’s extra security protections
Additionally, for those preferring pin codes, Martin advised using different pins for the device and banking apps to thwart potential ‘shoulder surfers’: “If you’re not going to and you’re a pin code type person, please use different pin codes for the phone and the banking app.
“It’s called ‘shoulder surfing’ these days where people look over your shoulder to see your pin code and then if you use the same code for both, they can access your money.”
Martin Lewis offered crucial advice for protecting your mobile phone and finances during the latest show. By typing *#06# into your handset, you can retrieve and save your IMEI number – a key piece of information for the police if your device gets stolen.
He advised taking a screenshot of this number and also emailing it to yourself for safekeeping.
Yet, the money-saving expert emphasised that the single most critical step to shield your finances involves adjusting your phone settings. Martin’s top security tip is to remove preview notifications from your lock screen.
Explaining the significance, he said: “I think this is possibly the most important one.”
The personal finance guru explained that leaving two-step verification codes visible on a locked phone screen can be a serious risk. “You know when you pay for something they (bank) send you a code on your phone through two-step verification – many people have that appear on their lock screen so when your phone’s locked the code still appears.
“You don’t want that, it means if someone takes your phone they can get a code.”
To eliminate this threat, Martin advised: “Turn off your preview notifications. It was still tell you’ve had a message but it won’t give you the code on the message, you do that in your settings – everybody please do that one. It’s a nightmare if you’ve not done it.”
He also urged everyone to check out the extra security protections offered by providers.
You can catch up with the latest edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on the STV Player or ITVX.
