The majority of adults, and even some children, may have their own mobile phone. While the use of one can be great for keeping in contact with others, and even entertainment, there are some associated risks. Learning about these could help to keep you and your family safer. While you can install apps that monitor and restrict a child’s mobile phone usage, you may also want to consider teaching them about the potential dangers, as well as how they can avoid becoming victims of scams, theft, and harassment.
Avoid answering unknown calls
There may come a point where a number you do not recognise attempts to contact you. You may want to think twice about answering, especially if you are not expecting any calls. Instead, it can be helpful to let it ring out. Should a genuine company or person be trying to reach you, they should then be able to leave a voicemail stating who they are, and the purpose of their call. Otherwise, it can be helpful to search for who called me, as well as the number. This can allow you to see what others might have said about that particular caller, enabling you to figure out if it is likely to be a scam or nuisance call. If it turns out to be legitimate, you could then simply call back.
Be careful about sending out risqué content
Sometimes, it can be fun to send risqué pictures of yourself, or messages, to your partner, if you are over 18 years old. While this might be enjoyable in the moment, there is always the chance that they may then be used for nefarious purposes, particularly if you end up breaking up rather badly. Educating yourself on the dangers of this type of behaviour can allow you to have a bit more knowledge of the risks, your rights regarding data breaches or having your information shared without consent, and how parents and loved ones can support someone who has suffered due to this.
Never install unknown apps
Installing apps through the designated store available on your phone can help you to only have legitimate applications on your phone. However, even though the apps may be legitimate, you could still run into trouble. At times, people may call you pretending to be from a company. They might then tell you there is an issue with your device, and try to get you to install a remote access app for them to rectify it. Once you do so, they may then be able to gain access to your phone and all its contents. A real company should never ask you to do this. Therefore, it can be important to ensure you do not download any remote access tools onto your phone.
Using a phone can be an important part of your life. However, that doesn’t mean you should remain oblivious to the risks. Educating yourself can allow you to spot the signs of scams or nuisances, and be able to take extra steps to avoid them.
