Smartphones, tablets and disposing of devices

When using smartphones and tablets you should:

• make sure your device is password protected (e.g.a PIN)
• never leave your device unattended
• install internet security software
• install updates to apps

This will help protect your money online and help keep your smartphone or tablet safe from fraud or theft.

QR codes

QR codes can be the targets of fraud.

When scanning QR codes with your smartphone or tablet, you should:

• download security software with a built-in QR code scanner
• never enter personal or financial information

You can find more advice on QR codes on the Get Safe Online website.

Disposing of computers and devices

You should take care when disposing of:

• computers
• tablets or smartphones
• CDs or DVDs
• USB sticks and devices
• memory cards

Criminals can often retrieve data stored on these items – even if you think it has been deleted.

To safely dispose of these items, you can:

• use a file deletion program or service
• destroy the physical item, so no-one can use it again

You can find more advice on disposing of computers, media and devices on the Get Safe Online website.

If you're looking to resell or recycle your device it's important that you:

• log out of apps,websites or emails
• remove the device from any online accounts (for example iCloud accounts)
• reset your device back to factory settings (if you're looking to re-sell or recycle)