Martin Lewis gives dire warning as phone thefts surge across the country
Martin Lewis has shared a dire warning as phone thefts surge. On his Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV, he said: "There are thieves who want to access your finances by your phone. It is growing. It is dangerous. Protect yourself please."
He added: "Mobile phone thefts are up 40% in London, but they're going up right across the country too.
"Now the crucial thing they're not just trying to nick your phone. Some of them are trying to access your financial data from your phone. You have to protect yourselves."
Phone theft UP 40%. 5 things you should to do secure your mobile so they can't access your banking Courtesy of ITV's Martin Lewis Money Show Feel free to share pic.twitter.com/BloDeuvM20
— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) March 12, 2025
He then highlighted five quick tips:
This can help to locate your device if it's been stolen and suspend payments.
This is the face ID and fingerprint ID on your phone, both for the phone itself and for your banking apps.
He added: "If you're not going to and you're a PIN code type person, please make it a different pin code for the phone and the banking apps. It's called shoulder surfing. These days, people look over your shoulder to see your PIN code, and then, if you're doing the same for both, they can access your money."
"Now this one sounds a bit weird," he admitted. "Dial *#6# to get your IMEI image, then screen grab and save it. That is what you're going to need to get if your phone is stolen.
He added: "Screen grab it and assuming you can access your email, not just on your phone, I would just email it to yourself so you've got a copy somewhere. I know it sounds weird, but that's what happens."
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"I think this is possibly the most important one," he said. "So loads of people, when you pay for something, they send you a code on your phone to second factor authentication. Many people have that appear on their lock screen. So when your phone's locked, the code still appears.
"You don't want that. I mean, someone takes your phone, they can get the code. So what you need to do to stop that is turn off your preview notifications. It will still tell you how to message, but it won't give you the code on the message you do that in your settings.
"Everybody, please do that one. It's a nightmare if you've not done it."
"If you've got time, check out your phone's extra security protections. Lots have them. IPhone has stolen protection. So if you're an unfamiliar location, to pay on a card, you need to use biometrics, and there'll be a one hour delay on changing your settings. Android has theft detection lock, which means your phone is moved quickly, it locks the screen. All of those things are important."
As festival and holiday season fast approaches, many will be looking to get outdoors.
New data uncovered by mobile phone comparison experts Compare and Recycle reveals that searches for 'phone theft' have soared by 418% over the past year, while searches for 'phone theft protection' have increased by 450% in the same period.
To help keep your device safe, Compare and Recycle has revealed the common mistake that could leave your device in a thief's hands while sharing their best tips to keep your phone safe this festival season.
According to UK Music, over 19.2 million music fans attended live music events in the UK in 2023, with a significant portion of them attending one of the 500 music festivals hosted nationwide.
However, while attending a music festival may be the highlight of the summer, many risks come with enjoying the music - one of which is phone theft.
Since the beginning of 2024, phone theft cases have risen by 150% in the UK*. As people gather in large crowds at festivals this summer, it could be a prime hotspot for thieves to strike.
Phone accessories like wrist straps, cross-body ties, and hand grips can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping your phone safe from thieves, as they add another layer of defence if they try and take it straight from your hand.
Keep your phone in a secure pocket or back whenever it is not being used to reduce the risk of it being swiped. Avoid keeping your phone out in the open unless necessary, and use zips and buttons to keep it secure while out and about.
If you are the victim of phone theft, the last thing you want is to lose other essential items such as your bank cards, ID, and key card. To avoid this, don't keep any personal items within your phone case; instead, keep them in a secure place not easily accessible by thieves.
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