Latest news with #bankingapps
Phone Arena
13-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Android rolls out several in-call protections to stop scammers in their tracks
Android is rolling out a new set of protections aimed at stopping phone scams before they can do real damage. These new tools are built right into the phone call experience and are designed to stop scammers from tricking people into lowering their device's defenses. The main update is a smarter in-call protection system. It activates when you're on the phone with someone who isn't saved in your contacts. If that caller tries to convince you to do something risky—like turning off Google Play Protect, sideloading an unknown app, or giving special permissions to an app—Android will step in and block or warn you before you make a mistake. If you're screen sharing during a call, the system will also remind you to stop sharing when the call ends. In-call scam protections. | Image credit — Google To go even further, Android is testing a new safety feature for banking apps. In the UK, users of Monzo, NatWest, and Revolut will get warnings if they open a banking app while screen sharing during a call with an unknown number. You'll get the option to end the call or stop sharing your screen with just one tap. This is aimed at stopping scams where fraudsters pose as banks or government agencies to get users to send money. Scam protection in banking apps in the UK. | Image credit — Google Google Messages is also getting better at spotting scams. Its AI-powered detection tool can now recognize more types of fraud, like fake toll charges, crypto scams, and tech support cons. All of this scanning happens on your phone, so your messages stay private. Scam Detection in Google Messages. | Image credit — Google Another feature called Key Verifier is coming soon. It lets you check that the person you're messaging is really who they say they are, using a simple identity check through the Google Contacts app. This can help spot issues like SIM swap attacks, where someone takes control of a friend's phone number. Key Verifier feature. | Images credit — Google These changes come as scams are getting harder to spot. By building security tools directly into Android, Google is trying to make it easier to stay safe without relying on extra apps or settings. It's a smart move, especially since real-time warnings during a call could stop someone from falling into a trap at the moment when it matters most.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
8 Ways To Stay Safe When Using Mobile Banking Apps
Unfortunately, your bank's mobile app can offer hackers access points to your most private and sensitive information — on your device, during data transfer and at your bank's server. Even if your mobile phone is secure, if you are on a public Wi-Fi network or your money app has weak security, your financial information could fall victim to fraud when online banking. Read Next: Learn More: Banks have made great advances in financial cybersecurity and limiting mobile device security risks, but there are still plenty of ways you can chip in to keep your most critical personal data as safe as possible when banking online. Here are eight tips to help protect your banking information. The FTC advises that you'll give hackers a harder time if you lock your phone, back up your data and keep your software up to date on both your devices and apps. This applies to mobile banking and all other mobile activities such as sending emails or text messages. Start by choosing solid security measures such as strong passwords that you don't recycle across platforms, guard your personal information closely and make sure you download the genuine bank app and not a fake banking app looking to steal your account numbers. For You: When you download something from Google Play or the Apple App Store in order to help you with your daily banking needs, remember that banking apps are often more advanced than their parent organizations' underlying operational systems. You should keep in mind that your app is only as secure as your network. So, don't open your banking app when you're on public Wi-Fi, and make sure you're on a password-protected network or using your own cell phone data. If your banking app doesn't enable multi-factor authentication by default, switch it on manually. A verification email or message is an extra step, but one that's more than justified considering the added layer of protection that it provides. Make sure to also use 2FA for your budgeting app or anywhere else your bank account might be linked. No verification credential is un-hackable, and some security professionals disagree about the safety and privacy of biometrics. However, according to Norton, the industry consensus is that fingerprint recognition and face ID are harder to crack than alphanumeric passwords. Also, you should make note that if you store your passwords on the cloud, they are therefore more vulnerable than biometric data, which lives on the device itself. If you get an email, text, phone call or message purporting to be from your bank that asks you to take any action — no matter how seemingly small or immediate — assume it's a scam and do nothing. Don't respond to a text, submit a code, verify any information, answer any questions, click on any links or open any messages in case it's a bank phishing scam. There are countless variations, for instance, where identity thieves hijack the actual bank's fraud department phone number and use it to send a text asking if you just made a purchase. When you reply 'no,' you immediately get a call from the bank's legitimate phone number asking you to verify your identity by revealing your most important information. If you receive a request claiming to be from your bank requesting any action, suspend communication and call the number on your statement or bank card to verify the message's authenticity and/or report the scam. Many banks remind their customers that some of the most important steps happen after you finish a session. Apps are vulnerable when they're open in the background, whether you're using them or not. So be sure to log out before closing your banking app and delete any messages or codes your bank texted you during your session. A little bit of intellectual upkeep to keep your financial literacy frosty can help you live a safer online life in banking and beyond. Many who use p2p payment services such as Zelle through their bank of choice may not know these platforms are susceptible to scams. Consider adding updates about online security and cyber threats to your news app of choice so you'll at least see the headline when the inevitable next new threat emerges. Just as with biometrics, the safety of cloud-based password managers is a cause of controversy. But Forbes reflects the industry consensus that — while nothing is bulletproof — password managers can be a reliable and convenient way to enhance mobile security and data management. Before you jump in, however, there are many pros and cons to mull over. Considerations include password managers concentrating your most critical data in one place, the risk of losing the all-important master password and potential difficulties with backup. As always, proceed with caution. Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article. More From GOBankingRates 5 Luxury Cars That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Spring 2025 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines This article originally appeared on 8 Ways To Stay Safe When Using Mobile Banking Apps Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
