It's more important than ever to protect our personal information. Increasing security takes awareness and good habits too. Here are some best practices to keep your device and data safe:

Protect your device

• If your smartphone or tablet is lost or stolen, contact your mobile service provider.
• Make sure antivirus software is installed.
• Lock your device when it's not in use.
• Set it to automatically lock after being idle for a set amount of time.
• Use a longer and stronger password if the option is available.
• Allow the app to access your location so we can verify your card and your device are near each other, protecting you at home or abroad.

Clear data frequently

• Delete text messages from financial institutions, especially before sharing, discarding, or selling your smartphone or tablet.
• If you visit the U.S. Bank website using your device, clear the cookies and cache regularly.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions to remove all personal information before disposal or resale. Don't rely on carriers, recycling firms or phone deposit banks to "clean" it.

Always download apps from reputable sources

• If you're considering adding an app to your mobile device, review the app's permissions so you understand what it's capable of doing before you download it.
• To ensure the sources of your U.S. Bank digital apps are safe, visit our U.S. Bank Mobile Banking page to download them.

Look out for phishing scams

Phishers create links that look legitimate, but they direct you to malicious sites. Due to the relatively small screen size in smartphones and tablets, it can be hard to spot when the link is fake.

To safeguard yourself when you need to access a website, type in the address yourself. Don't use the link.

Use caution when using "public" wi-fi networks

Although complimentary wi-fi is a nice service, public networks give hackers an opportunity to distribute malicious code or intercept your personal details. To keep your device safe:

• Don't turn your wi-fi on if you don't actually need to use it.
• Turn off "auto-connect" in your settings to stop your device from automatically connecting to an open and unsecured network.
• Your information can still be compromised anytime you're connected to a public network, even if you're not using it.
• For an added layer of protection, enable the "Always use HTTPS" option, often available on websites that require logging in.

Be aware of risks associated with jailbroken devices

You may have heard of "jailbreaking" your device to allow you to use it beyond the manufacturer's limitations. We don't suggest anyone jailbreak their phone; the risks involved are too great.

Jailbreaking removes the security restrictions enacted by the manufacturer, which helps to keep your data safe. Another risk is possibly downloading a malicious app. This can happen because downloads can be done from outside the device's app store.

Additional information

• We don't store any login credentials, personal data, or financial information on your device.
• All wireless communications are securely encrypted.
• Our Digital Security Guarantee protects you from fraud loss if there's any unauthorized activity.

If your smartphone or tablet has been compromised, you'll want to monitor your accounts for suspicious activity. Call us right away at 800-USBANKS (872-2657) if you have any concerns. We accept relay calls.