The expert talked about ways to protect yourself from smartphone theft.

Smartphones have long ceased to be just devices for making calls — they store a lot of personal information, so the loss or theft of a phone can result not only in the loss of an expensive gadget, but also in serious problems, including leakage of confidential information. Boris Lopatin, MegaFon's senior expert on fraud investigation, told Izvestia on March 24 how to protect yourself from this and minimize risks.

According to him, the first thing to think about is the location and the way to use the device. The greatest risk of theft occurs in public transport, especially near exits. In a crowd, it's better to keep your phone in the inside pocket of your outerwear, rather than in the back pocket of your jeans. Attackers often act quickly and can snatch the device at the moment when you least expect it, for example, when closing the doors of a bus or subway.

In a cafe or restaurant, it's better to keep your phone on the table, Lopatin noted.

"One of the simplest but most effective ways to protect yourself is to use cases with a strap or loop. These accessories allow you to carry your phone on your arm, neck, or strap it to a bag, which significantly reduces the risk of accidental loss or theft. However, no method of physical protection guarantees 100% security. Therefore, it is worth considering the possibility of phone insurance," the specialist advised.

According to the expert, smartphone insurance will help minimize the consequences of theft or breakage. The contract is concluded between the owner and the insurance company, and the store acts only as an intermediary.

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"The validity period of the policy is usually from one to two years, but it is important to remember that it does not enter into force immediately, but on the 15th day after registration. The cost of such a service is on average 15% of the device price. When an insured event occurs, the insurance company will compensate for the cost of repairing the phone or reimburse up to 80% of its original cost," he said.

The expert recalled that in addition to physical measures, it is necessary to worry about digital ones.

"Start by setting a strong password consisting of at least six characters, and set up biometric authentication — by fingerprint or facial recognition. Also, be sure to enable the "Find Phone" feature, which allows you to track the device's location using GPS and networks. Modern technologies make this option even more effective.: it works even without an Internet connection," Lopatin concluded.

On March 9, Daria Tomilina, MegaFon's mobile equipment manager, told Izvestia how to properly set up a smartphone after the first power-up. So, in the first few days of using a new gadget, it is recommended to drain the battery to 5%, and then put it on charge. After a week, it is worth maintaining a charge in the range of 40-80%. According to the expert, this will help extend the battery life of the phone and keep the battery healthy.