50 Ways to Protect Your Identity in a Digital Age: New Financial Threats You Need to Know and How to Avoid Them, Second Edition

17. Identity Theft Risks of Smartphones and Other Mobile Devices

What you don’t know definitely can hurt you. Even people who are extremely security-conscious and careful when using their home computers often fail take the same security precautions when using their smartphones and other portable electronic devices. This is despite the fact that many of us keep pictures (are you listening, Scarlett Johansson), financial data, passwords, credit card information, and other personal information on our smartphones, iPads, and other portable devices. In 2011, it was estimated that only about 6 percent of smartphone and other mobile devices were equipped with even the most basic antivirus software.

Tip

Although this probably is obvious, it is worth ...