BRITS have received fresh warning over soaring phone thefts in the UK, as thieves target victims’ online banking.
Niall McNamee, 30, had his phone snatched on the London Underground – and days later had £21,000 drained from his bank account.
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The eyewatering sum even included a £7,000 loan that criminals had taken out in his name.
“It used to be people stole a phone so they could sell on a phone,” McNamee told the BBC.
“Now it seems they are stealing phones so they can get into all of your data and take money.”
Reports of theft and robberies on trains and at stations have soared 58 per cent from 2018 to 2023, according to British Transport Police (BTP) data.
December is when the highest number of thefts and are reported, according to the force, as thieves use the longer nights to hide their identity.
On the streets, over 200 phones are swiped from the hands of innocent passerbys every day, Home Office figures revealed earlier this year.
There are a number of smart settings changes consumers can make to protect their gadgets – and their hard-earned cash.
But the uptick in thefts has pushed companies like Apple and Google to introduce specific Theft Protection features.
Here’s how you can set them up.
Stolen Device Protection for iPhone
“Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as your home or workplace, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen,” Apple says in a support page.
The feature, which comprises of two separate tools, was rolled out a year ago in iOS 17.3.
The tools are Face or Touch ID to access stored passwords and credit cards, and a Security Delay.
The delay forces crooks to wait an hour to change the password to your Apple Account – hopefully giving you enough time to mark the device as lost through the Find My network.
It is location based, so it is designed to work when you’re outside of your familiar locations – like your home and work.
To turn on Stolen Device Protection, simply follow these steps:
- Go to Settings, then tap Face ID & Passcode.
- Enter your device passcode.
- Tap Stolen Device Protection, then turn Stolen Device Protection on or off.
Theft Protection for Android
Google’s Theft Detection Lock uses AI, your device’s motion sensors to detect if someone snatches your device and runs away.
Once the phone detects it has been taken from you, it will automatically lock the screen.
It means they can’t raid your bank account while it the device is unlocked.
To turn on Theft Detection Lock, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Google > All services > Theft protection.
- Turn on Theft Detection Lock.
- If the setting for ‘Theft Detection Lock’ is greyed out, your device doesn’t support this feature.
