topic Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts in Community Chat

Apps and Your Personal Accounts

beach-mom — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 03:02:37 GMT

Phones are stolen frequently in large cities, but apparently it's spreading to the suburbs. Police here say it's part of a sophisticated operation.

They hire willing thieves who will take your phone - by any means. They have hackers who will get into all of your apps, and they then have everything about you. They will clean you out, and they will have all of your personal information. They will have your address, and if you have a security system they might be able to find your code. You will not be safe.

Of course the heads of these operations are in other countries.

Everything now is apps. I don't use them that much, but I do have one for our bank on there.

I have a few older friends who will not use a computer. I have one who has no bank or credit cards. She writes checks, and she buys traveler's checks when she travels. I don't know how she does it, but when I ask she just says, " Everybody takes them." She does use a simple cell phone.

We take so much for granted, but it wasn't that long ago where there was a world without these conveniences. I remember it. (Well I DON'T remember a world without credit cards - LOL!)

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Icegoddess — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 03:17:58 GMT

I don't bank or shop using a phone app. I do that on my laptop from my home network. I also don't do the phone pay thing, so no need to have my Credit Cards in my "Wallet". Actually, I don't have anything in my Wallet. I'm just not comfortable putting my info there as convenient as it would be to have my Driver's License on my phone in case I forgot to grab mine when I head to the gym. I don't take my purse to the gym. They have had locker break-ins and car break-ins can happen anywhere. I also don't walk around with my phone in my hand.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Q-Checker — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 03:42:00 GMT

I do remember a world without credit cards -- we used something called Charge-a- Plates at department stores and, as far as I can remember from my childhood, they worked just fine. The cardboard "plates" had distinguishing notches around the metal edges, which were compatible with the differing devices used for "recording" your purchases in each store where you had established credit. I did not have a real credit card until I went to college and my father told me to use it occasionally for small purchases (all I could afford) and to pay the bill promptly so that I would have an established credit record when I graduated. A good lesson and I still pay bills promptly and in full. And I also still pay the majority of my bills and donations by check as I like the record keeping value of the photographs of cancelled checks sent by the bank. Yeah, it takes a little (only a little) more time, but the old ways still work for me. As a bow to the convenience of modern consumerism, I do love using my credit card for shopping online or by telephone. As for Apps, probably never.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Venezia — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 03:56:06 GMT

I don't have any apps on my phone, especially any of the payment type apps. (Okay, I have Candy Crush, but there's no personal info with that; not even my name.)

No way am I having financial, personal, sensitive information on something that can get lost or stolen. One-stop-shopping for a thief or hacker.

I have no intention of ever having a "Wallet" on my phone either. If a business doesn't want to take my CC (or - gasp - cash), I'll do business elsewhere.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Love my grandkids — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 04:17:00 GMT

@beach-mom I have NO personal or banking apps on my phone and wouldn't think of it. I have a weather app and one local news app. That's it.

And FYI this has been going on in the suburbs for a looong time, it's nothing new.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Marp — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 04:49:00 GMT

Not having apps on your phone is one thing but what about the phone's browser?

Is the browser information (logins, passwords, etc.) from your computer synced with your phone's browser?

If so there is more personal information on your phone or through your phone than you thought.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 06:35:51 GMT

Sooner or later, EVERYTHING gets hacked.

I find people who have all their important information on any phone are just asking for trouble. Phones are just too easy to steal.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

CelticCrafter — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:40:30 GMT

My phone is a phone, not a mini computer that I can carry in my pocket.

I have no apps, banking or credit card information on it.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Love to Run — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:08:07 GMT

Most days I don't even carry a purse unless I'm going out with hubby or friends. My cellphone has everything I use on a daily basis, all the apps, all my data and personal info at my fingertips. I even have the card pocket on the back with my ID and a CC. I live in a big city, and so do most of my friends, and this is how everyone I know lives. I'm not going to live in the Dark Ages because I'm afraid, I'll continue to take reasonable precautions like the hundreds of millions of other cell phone users.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

songbird — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:25:03 GMT

I don't use my phone to shop. I used to. Now I've stopped. I use my pc at home to shop. The only app I use on my phone is instacart. I need that when I'm notified they are delivering. But the actual shopping is done on my PC. Of all the apps I use, I think the safest is on my PC. Amazon shopping is also done on my PC. I rarely us a purse/bag. I carry a canvas bag with me. I don't put my CC in my phone's cover. I carry it separate in my bag or pocket. My sister and brother in law are very old school. My sister will only shop in a store. She pays her bills via snail mail. She users her phone to call/speak to people. My brother in law doesn't have a smart phone. He has never had a email address. In fact, I sometimes shop for my sister. She wanted a CD from Amazon. I ordered it for her and had it delivered to her home!

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

jlkz — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:33:42 GMT

Wherever I go, I see young folks in tight jeans or slacks walking around with big cell phones jammed into their back pockets. Have often wondered what would happen if a thief walked / ran by and simply grabbed that phone....

And then, there are the women who are so engrossed in their cell phone conversation that they are oblivious to their surroundings and anyone who could harm them....or their cell phone.

What are they all thinking ? Do they think they are immune from being robbed ?

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Imaoldhippie — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:44:36 GMT

@beach-mom .......How does your friend write checks if she has no bank? Since your friend will not give you a straight and honest answer I would question the truthfulness of her claim.

Never mind I misread about the bank.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Sunshine Kate — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:38:50 GMT

I don't use apps on my phone at all - anymore.

A few years ago had 2 medical apps on my phone and both of them (different facilities), were hacked.

Not only are apps not safe, they use memory on my Apple phone.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

gidgetgh — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:40:19 GMT

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
@beach-mom .......How does your friend write checks if she has no bank? Since your friend will not give you a straight and honest answer I would question the truthfulness of her claim.

@Imaoldhippie - I'm not sure but I think she meant that her friend doesn't have a bank card- debit card.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Imaoldhippie — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:42:49 GMT

@gidgetgh ...........Now that you mention it that sounds more plausible. I do think that is what she meant. Thank you for the clarification.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

MorningLover — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:01:44 GMT

I've been following this Independent photographer & reporter on X.

Viral News NYC on X

Scooter Robbery Crew In NYC.

East Village NYC and Lower East Side residents. One of the scooter robbery crews has been hitting up your area and robbing phones and other items again. They would ride up beside you, snatch your phone right out of your hand, and take it before you even know what happened.

Then, the scooters would drive over the bridge back into Brooklyn. Cops have tracked multiple stolen phones back to a certain location. This same pattern is happening in other locations.

The way one of the ring leaders would work is. They have some kind of group chat. The leader would put out a hit on what kind of phones he was looking for. The gang would hit the streets and rob people for their phone.

They would bring back the phones and the leader would hack them and take all the info off of them. They would ring up tons of money on credit cards and send the phones back to certain countries. This is organized crime.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

beckyb1012 — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:16:18 GMT

No phone banking or shopping. Also do not do any bill paying ect... on my PC. I shop only on my PC or brick and mortar. I do not travel around my day with my phone attached to me. It amazes me how many ot the women on my floor at work take their cell phones to the ladies room with them. Give yourself 5 minutes please. I have taken several to offices to find the owner who left them behind to get back to their office.

I can see where this type of theft could definitely happen in many areas.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Venezia — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:32:10 GMT

@Love to Run - Just because some people choose not to have all their personal information on a cell phone, doesn't mean they're living in the Dark Ages.

It just means they make different choices for how to protect that information.

After 25 years in I.T., I make my own decisions about what I will or will not use. But I don't live in the Dark Ages; far from it.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

Venezia — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:34:02 GMT

@Marp - No, I don't sync my PC browser information with my cell phone.

Re: Apps and Your Personal Accounts

chrystaltree — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 15:03:39 GMT

I don't know where that's coming from. It's kind of funny and I'll informed. Scammers do not need your physical phone to get it or to plant malicious software. They can do it electronically in a numbers of different ways. Usually when you click on an unsafe link or when you click on an ad or when you click on one of those pop up banners. This is 2024 not 2014. I'm not sure what you trying to say. Yes we must protect ourselves in many different ways but that has ALWAYS been the case. I remember when handbag snatching was a big risk. It happened to my elderly aunt back in the day. House break ins to steal existed from the time humans moved into houses. There has never been a crime free time or place on this planet and there never will be. No one wants to hide from life and avoid all the wonderful things technology has given us. We just have to be as diligent as possible. I'm in my 60s and I marvel at all the wonderful almost miraculous things in my life. My smart phone and my tablet are invaluable to me. My friend recently shared that she had breakfast with her 90 year old dad every morning. He loves 300 miles away. They Zoom every morning at 7am using their smartphones. They eat their breakfasts and chat and she gets to see for herself how her dad is doing. I'm sure he feels connected and not alone.