Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, has given some crucial advice to all mobile phone users in the most recent episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV.
Amid a concerning rise in mobile phone thefts—up 40 per cent in London and increasing across the UK—the finance guru stressed the importance of safeguarding personal information and bank accounts from thieves and fraudsters. In 2024, there was a 153 per cent increase in phone thefts across the country, with 78,000 thefts recorded.
He cautioned ITV viewers, “There are thieves who want to access your finances by your phone. It is growing. It is dangerous. Protect yourself please people.”
With an emphasis on self-protection, Martin shared vital precautions for both iPhone and Android users, reports the Daily Record. Martin’s security guidance includes steps such as employing Face ID or fingerprint verification to unlock phones and banking apps.
He stresses, “If you’re not going to and you’re a pin code type person, please use different pin codes for the phone and the banking app.
It’s called ‘shoulder surfing’ these days where people look over your shoulder to see your pin code and then if you use the same code for both, they can access your money.”
Martin Lewis mobile phone security tips
Martin said: “The crucial thing is 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 on this folks.”
Martin’s top tips include:
- Use remote tracking apps to locate device and suspend payments
- Enable biometrics on both phone and banking app – if you use a pin, make sure they are not the same
- Dial *#06# to get your IMEI number, screenshot it and save it
- Turn off ‘preview notifications’ to protect your lockscreen
- Check out your phone’s extra security protections
He further advised that by entering *#06# and taking a screenshot of your IMEI number, you can provide this information to the police to assist in tracking your phone if it’s stolen. Martin also recommended emailing this information to yourself for safekeeping.
However, he emphasised that the most crucial step everyone can take to safeguard their finances is to disable preview notifications on their lock screen.
Martin elaborated: “I think this is possibly the most important one.
“When you make a payment, your bank sends you a code via two-step verification – many people have this appear on their locked screen. This isn’t ideal as it means if someone steals your phone, they can access the code.”
To prevent this from happening, Martin instructed: “Turn off your preview notifications. It will still alert you when you’ve received a message, but it won’t display the code in the message. You can adjust this in your settings – I urge everyone to do this. It’s a nightmare if you haven’t.”
He also encouraged everyone to explore the additional security measures offered by their providers.
The latest episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live can be viewed on the STV Player or ITVX.