Fast Facts:
Phone
What is it used for?
With the significant adoption of smartphones, most of us use them for virtually everything, such as taking photos, making phone calls, text messaging, and Internet access to popular apps like WhatsApp. Smartphone use also includes access to our banking data, making online purchases, paying bills, transferring funds, and other financial transactions. The wide use of smartphones makes them attractive for bad actors.
What Ages?
There is no specific age - these days even children are using phones to talk, play games, watch instructional and entertaining videos, and much more. Unfortunately, this makes children also vulnerable to online fraudsters. Senior citizens, especially those who are not tech-savvy, are also at risk.
Where can I find it?
Smartphones are everywhere. The most popular systems are based on Apple or Android (Google) technology. Android-based phones are available at a variety of price points. Apple's iPhones, especially the latest generation ones, command a price premium. However, sometimes phone carriers subsidize the cost of phones in return for a commitment to their subscription plans. Most plans come with voice, text, and data (for Internet access). You need data plans to access popular apps like Facebook and WhatsApp. Also, for your email.
Pros
Virtually everyone has a (smart)phone they can carry with them almost everywhere. You can use smartphones to
Make phone calls. With apps like WhatsApp you can also make free phone calls to anyone in your contact list as long as you have data access to the Internet.
Send or receieve text messages, including one-time passwords (OTP) for multi-factor authentication for Internet banking, etc.
Take and share photos.
Play music.
Play games.
Access email.
And much more!
Cons
The popularity of use makes smartphones them very attractive for hackers to steal your identity.
The loss of your phone usually means
Loss of valuable digitial assets such as your photos and messages (unless you have backed them up to the cloud).
Being locked out of accounts you have setup with multif-factor authentication - you will need to notify the appropriate institutions/service providers and use alternative login methods.
Misuse for malicious purposes in the hands of criminals.
Smartphones can be expensive and time consuming to repair or replace.
Safety (Do's)
Protect your phone physically and digitally:
Use screen protector, case, etc. to keep the phone working in case of accidents like falls, spills, and so on.
Set a screen lock password to lock the screen after a few minutes of inactivity. You can use biometric passwords like facial recognition or fingerprints.
In case you loose your phone, immediately notify your provider so that they can inactivate it. They may also help you to remotely wipe sensitive data from your phone.
Safety (Dont's)
Don’t
Use your phone while driving for reading email, texting, etc. Avoid making phone calls, even with hands-free mode to prevent distractions.
Avoid letting someone else use your phone, especially with strangers.