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Are You Addicted to or Distracted by Your Phone? Here’s How to Stop It

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I love my phone. I HATE MY PHONE. No really, I love my phone. Actually, I HATE my phone.

Phone addiction and what you can do about it

This post might be a bit off-topic from my usual security stuff, but dealing with one’s phone addiction does help with your security and privacy as well. All of these pop-ups, bells – whistles, and distractions emanating from our devices make it hard to tell what’s legitimate and what’s attempted fraud. Turning off all of the unnecessary alerts we get, will facilitate our ability to focus on what’s real and fake. Read on.

Phone addiction and how to quit

Most of the people out there know about the tricks that an advertiser or app developer might play when they try to get the attention of a consumer. What you don’t realize, however, is that our phones and digital devices are doing things like this automatically, even insidiously and you are probably engaging with them more than you want to, and definitely more than you should.

It’s distracting, it affects our attention to others, relationships, connecting to others, our sex life, our sleep, our job performance, and even our wallets. Frankly, upon understanding what’s happening, this should upset you.

One of the things that phone designers do is use certain colors for notifications: like red or blue. Why? Because certain colors are known to create an emotional response, and this makes us want to click or swipe. This emotional response also can make us feel like we suffer from phone addiction, or feel like we are attached to what our phones give us.

Don’t get caught up here, though. Here are some tips on how to quit phone addiction:

Turn Off Notifications

There is no doubt that notifications can be helpful, and in some cases, they can actually be very important. However, the majority of notifications are not. These are all designed to get people to interact with the app. For example, many people notice that when they get a Facebook notification that someone has posted to their wall, they immediately want to check it. But you could be interrupting something important. So, turn off notifications and check the apps when you have the time.

I suggest turning off everything. And slowly turn on notifications only when you believe you really, absolutely, positively need them.

Unsubscribe and Delete

Delete every app you don’t need. Unsubscribe from every email coming in that is not a necessity. Be ruthless. All of these apps and unwanted emails are another reason to turn your head left or right, up or down requiring the use of your hands and fingers to do something that you shouldn’t be doing. Your focus is sacked every time these communications come in.

Look at Screen Time

This will definitely upset you. You can look at your settings and see how much time you are spending on certain apps. You can easily set this up to be notified. Now, this is an additional distraction, but it’s also going to tell you what activities you do on your phone are helpful and which are not.

Change Colors

We have mentioned that color can play tricks on our minds, and app developers know this. So, think about removing the colors from your phone and changing it to grayscale. You can do this, for instance, on the iPhone, in the settings app.

Clean Off Your Home Screens Apps

You also might want to think about cleaning up your home screen. The only apps you might want to keep on your home screen are things that you really need, like your map app, your email, your banking app, and your calendar. Everything else (even email) should be put on another screen.

Stop Tapping and Type Instead

Try this. Try to get into the habit of typing what you are looking for in the search box of your phone. It is easy to simply tap an app to open it; it is much more difficult to type in the name of the app…and this gives you a second to really think about if you want to open the app or not.

Take Social Media Apps Off of the Device

You also might want to delete the social media apps off of your phone if you have a problem there. You might be shocked if you look at how many hours per week, or even day, you are spending on these apps. DELETE FACEBOOK AND TIKTOK. NOW! In my PodBroadcast “The Security Guy and CIA Spy” Peter and I discuss how social media is messing with our mental health. Social media and phone addiction are no joke.

Charge Your Phone Away from the Nightstand

Finally, utilize the “focus” settings on the iPhone, a.k.a. “Do Not Disturb”. For you android users figure it out HERE. Most of us charge our phones at night, and in general, they sit on our nightstands. This makes it very easy to grab it at any time, especially when you wake up in the morning. So, consider charging it somewhere else.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Monitoring Tracking or Spying on a Cell Phone

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Do you think of yourself as a spy and wonder how you can monitor another person’s cell phone? Well, we aren’t going to tell you that here, but we will give you some information about cell phone monitoring:

phone scamTracking Cell Phones: The Legal Stuff 

In most cases, it is not legal to monitor another person’s cell phone. However, and this is NOT legal advice, if the account is in your name, or if you have some type of written permission from the person owning the phone, you can track it.

Why Would a Person Monitor a Cell Phone?

There are certainly situations where it is perfectly legal, and maybe even useful, for someone to monitor a cell phone. One of these reasons is to monitor your family. This is generally the case if you have a teenager, for instance, who has some freedom.

Another reason why you might want to consider monitoring a cell phone is if you have a person in your family who is elderly, and they use a cell phone. For instance, if your loved one has the onset of dementia, it can be a very good idea to track their phone.

It is possible, too, that a company could be tracking a phone. It is very legal, for instance, for a company to track cell phones that they own. The main reason this happens is not only to monitor employee communication, but to also locate a device if it is stolen or lost.

Sometimes Spying on a Phone is Malicious in Nature.

In a Good Morning America spot I did years back, victims speak out about how their mobile phone being bugged made them paranoid. The perpetrators acted like the puppeteers and the victims their puppets.  Check it out.

The Main Ways Cell Phones are Tracked

There are four main ways that people use to track a cell phone:

  • Via a Carrier – Most major phone carriers have a feature that allows an account owner to track a phone that is on their account. There is usually a fee for this service, and it is definitely legal. This is a good way to track a family member.
  • Via a Computer or Smartphone – You can also track a phone via an app like Find My or Find My Friends. Just remember that the phone must be connected to GPS in order for this to work.
  • Via a Third-Party App – There are also apps that allow you to trace a phone, but to make it legal, you must have access to the phone you want to track, and even own it and/or have written permission from the person who owns it. In general, both the devices used in this tracking must have the app installed for these to work. Some of these apps might have free limited features, but others only are available if you pay a fee for the service.
  • Via a Link – This is likely very illegal, and it can even get you put into jail. Hackers often put these links in emails, texts, or social media posts. To do this, the device has to be infected with spyware and malware, which is installed when the link is clicked. Hackers buy this software from the dark web.

Remember, it is not legal to track a cell phone unless you have permission from the device owner. However, every state has laws pertaining to this, so you may want to look into the laws in your state if you are considering doing any of this. That way, you know what the consequences might be.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Make your Mobile a Tough Target: Strengthening Your Mobile Device

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Do you pay attention to how secure your mobile phone is? Most of us do not do this, which makes it very easy for a hacker to get in and target us. Here are some tips that you can use to protect your phone from becoming a target:

mobile

Always Set a Passcode 

One of the best things you can do to strengthen your mobile device’s security is to make sure you have a passcode on it. All mobile phones have a passcode option, and some phones, like the iPhone, even allows you to remotely lock it if you believe the phone has been stolen.

Use Biometrics 

You can make your device even safer by setting up some type of biometric access like a fingerprint or facial recognition.

Use “Find My”

If you have an iPhone and it gets stolen, you can use the Find My iPhone app. This app is already on your iPhone, and it’s totally free. It uses GPS to locate your iPhone as long as the GPS capabilities are enabled. If you have an Android, you can do a similar thing with Find My Device.

Check Up on Your Privacy Settings

It is also a good idea to take a peek at your privacy settings. Your data is very important, and there are constant threats. Thankfully, you can set up your privacy settings to make it difficult to get into. Depending on your phone, you can look at privacy settings, location settings, VPN settings, and encryption settings.

Is Phone Antivirus Software Necessary?

Many people think that you can make your phone a lot safer by using anti-virus software. When you put this on your computer, it certainly helps a lot. However, it doesn’t do much, or isn’t even available for an iPhone. If you have an Android, though, it’s best to load one up. You can find a ton of them on Google Play.

Don’t Jailbreak or Root Your Device

 You should also not jailbreak your iPhone nor root your Android device. Many people do this because they get more freedom for customizing their device, and you can download apps that Apple hasn’t approved. However, this can open your device up to hackers, which could be a devastating thing.

Encrypt Your Backups

 Finally, make sure that you are backing up and encrypting your backups. When you backup your device, the data just sits on your computer or in the cloud, and in some cases that might mean it can get hacked. So, make sure you encrypt the information that’s there, so even if the computer is hacked or your cloud based backup is compromised, the hacker can’t access this data.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

How to Kick Your Mobile Phone Addiction

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Most of us know about the tricks that advertisers play when trying to get our attention. What you might not realize, however, is that our mobile phone and other digital objects are doing something similar, and you are probably falling for it every time.

One thing that designers do is use the color red for notifications. Why? Because red triggers a natural emotional response, and that makes us want to swipe or click. This also can easily make us feel “attached” to our phones, and addiction to phones and things like social media, are very real. Don’t get caught up in this; here are some tips to help you kick your mobile phone addiction:

Turn Off Your App Notifications

Notifications are helpful, and sometimes, they are very important. However, most app notifications are not. These are the ones that are designed to get you to interact with your app. For instance, if you get a Facebook notification that someone posted something to your wall, you are likely going to check it immediately. Turn those off and check your apps when you have time.

Screen Time

In your Setting menu seek “Screen Time” and scroll through to see how much time you are spending on various apps. You can set tis up to be notified daily, but that’s also another distraction. If your Screen Time settings are telling you that you are excessively on social media, gaming, or activities that are simply mind numbing, unproductive, and might be considered addictive behaviors, stop.

Go Gray

As mentioned, color plays with our minds, and app developers know this. So, consider making your phone screen black and white, called Grayscale. On the iPhone, you can do this in the Settings app.

Clean Up Your Home Screen

You should also consider cleaning up your home screen. Only keep things you need like your calendar, map app, and email. Everything else should be moved to another screen.

Type, Don’t Tap

Also, try to get into the habit of typing in the search box for apps you want to open instead of tapping them. This gives you a second to consider if you really want to get involved with the app.

Remove Social Media Apps

You might want to take off the social media apps you have on your phone, too. You will be shocked by how much time you spend on those apps if you are like most people. You can always check later on a computer or by typing it into your browser.

Charge Your Phone Away from Your Bed

Most of us charge our phones overnight, and more often than not, we do it right on our nightstand. This makes it very easy and tempting to grab it and start using it. So, consider keeping it out of the bedroom at night.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

How a Wi-Fi Hacker Snoops on Your Laptop and Mobile

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You have likely heard of the dangers of using unsecure public Wi-Fi, so you know that hackers are out there snooping. It is pretty easy to hack into a laptop or mobile device that is on a public Wi-Fi connection with no protection. Hackers can read your emails, steal passwords, and even hijack your website log ins.

Let’s imagine that you are in a local coffee shop with your laptop. All someone has to do is download a wireless network analyzer, which usually has a free trial, and with the right hardware and additional software they can often see what everyone is viewing online…unless they are protected. In some cases they can also read your emails that are going out and received, as well as texts you might be sending. Scary, right?

Tips on How to Use a Wi-Fi Hotspot Safely

You now know what you are up against when you connect to a public Wi-Fi spot, but you should also know that you can use them with some safety in mind. Here are some tips:

  • When you log onto a website, only use an encrypted connection. This means use the URL that begins with HTTPS, not HTTP. Keep an eye on that as you move from page to page because some sites will send you to an unsecured page, which makes you vulnerable.
  • There are also many websites out there that will allow you to encrypt your browsing session automatically. Facebook, for instance, has this. To turn it on, go to your “Security” settings on the site, and then enable “Secure Browsing.”
  • If you are going to check your email, login to your web browser and then ensure that your connection to your email client is encrypted. (Check by looking at HTTPS). If you are using Outlook, or another email client, make sure that your settings are set for encryption.
  • Don’t use any service that is not encrypted when you are on a public Wi-Fi connection.
  • Consider using a VPN when you are connecting to a public Wi-Fi connection. There is a small fee for this, but it’s well worth it.
  • Beware of “evil twins” which are rogue networks designed to mimic legitimate networks. Example “ATT WiFi” my be “Free ATT WiFi”. Other than downloading special software that detects evil twins, the best case is to ask someone who’s knowledgeable as to which network is the safest.
  • If you are on a private network, make sure you realize that they are also vulnerable. Anyone who knows how can spy on the network. Again, use WPA or WPA2 security so the connection is encrypted. However, if someone guesses or knows the password, they can still spy on any device that is connected

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

SIM Swapping: What You Need to Know

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Have you heard of SIM swapping? It’s a new trick that hackers are using to get money and mess up your life.

What is SIM Swapping?

So, what is SIM swapping? It’s when a hacker tricks your cell phone company into thinking that you have activated your SIM card on another phone. In other words, the hackers are taking your phone number and then associating it with a different SIM card. If the switch is a success, your device will be deactivated, and all of your phones, texts, data, and more will come to the hacker. This means, of course, that the hacker could get access to any account, including your bank account, and could even totally lock you out of your accounts.

How the SIM Swap Scam is Identified

A hacker doesn’t need your device to do a SIM swap. It can all be done remotely, as long as they can convince your service provider to do it. How do they convince your service provider? They give them information about you, such as your birthday, Social Security number, or account number. They can easily get this information from your mail, email, or account.

So, how do you know if you have been the target of a SIM swap? Generally, it’s when you see weird behavior from your phone, like the inability to send texts or make calls for no reason.

Preventing a SIM Swap

There are a number of things that you can do to prevent a SIM swap. Here are some tips:

  • Start with your online mobile account –Bad guys accessing your online mobile account can own you easily. Set up two factor and use a hard to crack
  • Watch for Phishing – Most scammers get the information they need to SIM swap by using phishing emails. These are fake emails that are sent to potential victims, and might have weird links, fake login screens, or other methods for tricking people into giving up their info.
  • Don’t Share Your Info Online – Another thing to do is to watch what you share online. Scammers can also get information from what people share with others on social media, etc.
  • Protect Your Accounts – Check all of your accounts for security and consider doing things like setting up two-factor authentication, hard to guess passwords, and think about unlinking your phone from your accounts.

Are You a Victim of a SIM Swap?

If you are a victim of a SIM swap, there are certain things you can do:

  • Contact law enforcement, your bank, the three credit bureaus, and your cell phone provider.
  • Change all of your passwords, especially Venmo, PayPal, and any account that is tied to your phone number. Make sure that confirmations are NOT sent to your phone number.
  • If, for any reason, you cannot log into your account, you should contact customer service of the company ASAP and give them a heads up about what happened.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Make Your Mobile a Tough Target for Thieves

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You should definitely pay attention to your mobile phone security. Most of us don’t, which makes it easy for hackers and ID thieves to target us. Here are some tips to protect yourself from becoming a target for thieves.

 

Use a Passcode

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you are not a target for thieves is to use a passcode. All mobile phones have a built-in passcode option, and if you have an iPhone you can even set a passcode if it has been stolen by using the Find My iPhone feature.

Use Face ID or Touch ID

To make your iPhone even safer, you can use Face ID if you have the iPhone X or Touch ID on other iPhone versions. This is much stronger than using a passcode.

Set up Find My iPhone

If your iPhone gets stolen or you lose it, you can use the Find My iPhone app. This is a free app that is built into the iCloud. It uses GPS to show where your iPhone is at any time, as long as GPS is enabled. For Androids set up Find My Device to accomplish similar tasks.

Look at Your Privacy Settings

You should also take a look at your privacy settings. Your data is extremely important and there are threats all of the time. Fortunately, you can set your privacy settings to make it tough for people to get into it. Depending on your phone OS, seek out built in privacy, location, encryption and VPN settings.

Should You Get Antivirus Software for Your iPhone?

You might think that you can make your phone safer by adding antivirus software. Yes, it’s very important to have anti-virus software for your computer, but you don’t need it on your iPhone, but definitely do need it for your Android. Do a search on Google Play, there are plenty.

Stop Jailbreaking (iPhone) or “Rooting” (Android) Your Device

Another way to keep your phone safe is to stop jailbreaking. A lot of people like jailbreaking because it gives more freedom to customize your phone how you want. You can also download apps that Apple has not approved of. However, jailbreaking your phone can cause it to become more open to hackers, too, which could really be devastating.

Encrypt All Backups

When you sync your iPhone to your computer, it holds data for your as a backup. This way, if you ever need it, you can get it easily. However, this also means that this data could be open to hackers if your computer ever gets hacked. So, it’s always best to make sure that you encrypt all backups. You can do this in iTunes with only a few additional steps.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

How to Monitor a Cell Phone

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Do you fancy yourself a spy and wondering how you can monitor someone else’s cell phone? You won’t get that information here, but there is some good info on cell phone monitoring if you keep reading:

The Legalities of Tracking Cell Phones

Generally, it is not legal to monitor a cell phone that does not belong to you. However, generally speaking, and THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, if the account is under your name or if you have written permission from the person who owns the phone, you can track it.

Why Monitor a Cell Phone?

There are some situations where it is perfectly legal, and even useful, to monitor a cell phone. One good reason is to monitor your family. This is especially the case if you have a tween or teenager who has some freedom.

Another reason you might consider monitoring a cell phone is if you have an elderly family member, like a parent, who uses a cell phone. If your loved one has dementia, you certainly should track their phone.

Businesses also often track company issued cell phones. The main reasons to do this is to locate a device if it is ever lost or stolen and to monitor employee communications.

The Main Ways to Track a Cell Phone

There are three different ways that people track cell phones:

  • Through the Cell Phone Carrier – Most major cell phone carriers offer a feature that allows a person to track a cell phone that is on their account. There is a fee for this service, it is totally legal, and it’s a great way to track family members.
  • Through a Smartphone or Computer– If you have a smart phone that runs iOS or Android, you can use features like Find My iPhone, or you can use apps like Find My Friends. Just keep in mind that the phones must have GPS enabled for these to work.
  • Though a Third-Party App – To trace a phone through an app, you usually have to have access to the phone you want to track AND own it and/or written permission from the phone’s owner. Typically, both devices must have the app loaded for these apps to work. Some of these apps are free for limited features. Others come with a one-time or monthly payment for the service.
  • Through an Infected email or Text Link – This is pretty much illegal and might get you stint in the klink. Pulling this off requires special malware or spyware which can be obtained on the dark web for a price. That will mean you’d got from being legal to the seedy world of Blackhats. And as they say, once you go black, you never go back. You would then officially be a criminal.

In most cases, it is not legal to trace or track a cell phone unless you have permission from the owner. However, each state has their own laws, so it’s very important that you understand the laws in the state you live. This way, you can avoid any repercussions.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

How to Block Spammy Scammy Telemarketing Calls

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Are you getting a lot of scammy, spammy telemarketing calls? If you are, you know how annoying they are. Fortunately, there are some apps out there that can help. Here are a few apps worth looking into:

CallApp

You can use CallApp to lookup numbers, and then decide if you want to answer it or not. It collects data from users, and then gives you this information when a call comes in. You can get CallApp Crawler for Android phones.

Call Control

This app offers reverse look up, call blocking, and it can even blacklist any unwanted texts, too. It is very easy to use, and it relies on the community to collect spam numbers and submit them to the company. You can get Call Control on iOS and Android phones.

Calls Blacklist

You can use Calls Blacklist to block calls, but there are also other features like scheduling ability or filtering by number prefix. This means you can block numbers that start with a certain combination of numbers, i.e. 803. This app is only available for those with Android phones.

Hiya

Hiya used to be just a reverse look up method, but now it also blocks calls and offers caller ID. This app has access to more than three billion records, but like TrueCaller, your number also goes onto that list. You can get Hiya for both iPhone and Android phones.

Norton Mobile Security

Norton Mobile Security is not necessarily a call blocking app. Instead, it’s a security app that has call blocking as one of its features. This app is perfect for anyone who wants a full security suite on their mobile phone. You can get this app for both iOS and Android.

Safest Call Blocker 

Though Safest Call Blocker is simple, it is quite effective at blocking any unwanted numbers coming from robots or telemarketers. Currently, this app is only available for those who use an Android phone.

Should I Answer?

This app blocks calls, looks up numbers, and then categorizes them for easy filtering. It tracks about 500,000 numbers and is available for both iPhone and Android.

TrueCaller

TrueCaller is a popular app, and it holds more than two billion phone numbers. This makes it great at identifying a spammy number. The one caveat of TrueCaller is that it adds your number to the list of numbers it tracks. You can get it for iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, and even BlackBerry.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

Does Your Mobile Have Spyware on It?

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You have a mobile phone, you might think it’s pretty safe, but what you might not realize is that these devices can have spyware on them. Keep in mind, many of the “signs” listed below are everyday normal phone behaviors. But combined, might mean spyware. Here are some of the signs:

Unusual Background Noise

While common, humming, static, or other weird noises could be a sign that someone is tapping your line. Though all phones might have strange noises from time to time, you should check if there are other signs if you notice them. This is especially the case if you hear them when your phone is not in use.

Short Battery Life

Also common, another sign of a hacked phone is a short battery life. If you notice that your battery is suddenly losing power, it’s possible that there is malicious software running in the background. But don’t panic….yet.

Try Shutting it Down

If something seems weird with your mobile phone, try shutting it down. Watch how it reacts when you shut it down. Phones that have been hacked often won’t shut down correctly or never shut down, even though you tell it to. Still, a common issues with mobiles.

Look for Suspicious Activity

If you notice something suspicious, like your phone turning on or off by itself or apps getting installed or deleted, someone might have hacked it. Other suspicious signs that someone has hacked your phone include strange text messages that contain random letters or numbers. You might see pop-up ads or other issues, too.

Check for any Electronic Interferences

Though it might not be uncommon to get interference from other electronics, such as a computer, another phone, or even a television, it shouldn’t happen if you are not on a call. If it does, it could be a sign of something malicious, for instance, someone listening in on your phone calls.

Look at Your Phone Bill

If your phone bill shows more text or data usage than you typically use, it might be a sign that your mobile phone is hacked. Things like spyware can cause your data to rise, and this could definitely cause your bill to rise. However, keep in mind, if you just downloaded a new app, this could be the cause of your data usage. Also, make sure that no one in your home is using the data, such as your kids, who are notorious for this.

Use Caution when Downloading New Apps

Finally, when you download a new app, make sure they are safe. Most apps from the App Store or Google Play are safe, but occasionally, a malicious app will sneak in. If an app asks for access to your contact list, call history, or address book, use caution.

If you ever suspect spyware, back up your apps and reset the device back to factory then reinstall everything. Keep in mind, unless an iPhone is “jailbroken” spyware is unlikely. But with Androids, spyware is serious. Install antivirus on Androids.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.