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Mobile Payment is a dream come true. Having the ability to pay bills, make transactions in person, and resolve orders online is the simplest resolution in retail. Could it all be too good to be true? The mobile payment technology is rapidly evolving, but how are the consumers to know what to do when it comes to securing their information, or even possibly understand that those means of security are changing as well. Mobile payment crimes are on the rise, in 2019 alone so far. For any individual who utilizes their mobile phone make payments, should absolutely know these security tips.
1. “I Can’t Find my Phone!”
*Cue the panic attack. You’ve lost your phone. 
If you have al of your credit and debit card information loaded up into your phone, that’s terrible news. All of your personal details just became everyone and anyone’s business, ensuing fraudulent activity. Not everyone is the Good Samaritan that you’d think they’d be, by returning your phone. Built-in protection to secure pone activity, especially mobile wallets. When securing your phone, be sure to set up two-step authentication instead of the traditional 4-digit passcode to unlock the phone. When it comes to two-step authentication, you’re often given the option to choose from voice recognition, facial recognition, fingerprinting, geofencing, and other identifiers, in addition to that passcode recognition.
2. Be in the Know of Securing Searches
Even if you have the two-step authentication and have secured the physical hardware, you’re still not in the clear. 
The way you use your phone may impact your overall protection. Browser detection is essential in protecting users from fraud, that can take place through insecure mobile browsers. You wouldn’t want to enter your credit card information in that situation to purchase something on your phone. It wouldn’t turn out well for you. Make sure, as if this isn’t common knowledge, that you must always need a digitized passcode to get away from hackers and fraudsters.
3. Beware of App Clones
Are you sure you’ve installed the correct app into your phone? There are actually several app clones that one could have accidentally uploaded. Yes, these are things that can happen. If a user downloads a cloned app, and a user enters their payment information, that info is then compromised. *Cue the fraudulent activity.
Such app clones come with poorly structured security options, and a wide range of data can be accessed by criminals. Cybercriminals have invented a way to install clone apps that can also contain viruses and ransomware, that can be spilled out into your phone’s software. Fraudsters are using jail-broken devices to make fraudulent payments and with this, anti-malware is the go-to tool for this.
Anti-Malware software can protect your phone from any app clones in operation. Hearty research is still the only way to find the right solutions to such malicious clones. When it comes to helping users prevent fraudulent crimes, the following steps are quite useful.
| Research | Find My Phone App | Avoid Making Payments in Public |
| Improve Password Strength | Use Own Personalized Network | Educate Friends & Family |
Always be mindful in remembering to be conscious while making payments on your mobile phone. You’d never imagine the dangerous beings that can be lurking in public and insecure networks. Think twice. Act Smart.
