The Scam: Clicking on a pop-up or a link in an email can unleash a program that sneaks into your computer and records your keystrokes: user names and passwords, account numbers, addresses — it captures everything and sends it back to the perpetrator, who now has everything he or she needs to steal your identity. Adam Levin, co-founder and CEO of Identity Theft 911, says cybercrooks are now creating similar tools to steal data via smartphone apps. “Fraudsters can gather data and intercept browsing sessions on your smartphone to gather information,” he says.
Avoid It By: Keep anti-virus, malware and spyware protection on your desktop or laptop up-to-date, and don’t click on pop-ups or links from unknown email senders. Protect your smartphone by only downloading apps that are part of that platform’s official marketplace.