Afraid of having your cell phone stolen? See tools to protect your data

"You have to prepare yourself before the robbery. There's no point in trying to cry over spilled milk afterwards", says Fabio Assolini, director of Kaspersky's research team for Latin America. There are some tools to protect sensitive information, such as Celular Seguro and Registrato.

See below which features can be activated and which precautions help reduce risks.

SAFE CELL PHONE

Celular Seguro, from the federal government, allows you to issue an alert to banks and operators in case of loss of the device. From this warning, it is possible to block services linked to the cell phone.

The user can also nominate trusted people to issue an alert if they are unable to access the platform.

"In practice, Celular Seguro helps protect the victim by reducing the time window in which criminals can access accounts, receive login verification SMS, authorize transactions or reuse the device", says Jonathan Ramos, security researcher at Eset Brasil.

Fabio Assolini states that the tool is useful, but that its effectiveness depends on the protection of the Gov.br account. According to him, it is important to use a strong and unique password for the account, in addition to activating two-step authentication.

How to activate

1 - Access https://celularseguro.mj.gov.br or the Celular Seguro app2 - Log in with your Gov.br account3 - Register the device using the line number and IMEI4 - If you wish, add people you trust to issue alerts on your behalf

BC PROTEGE+

Another free tool is BC Protege+, launched by the Central Bank. The service allows citizens to inform the financial system that they do not authorize the opening of new bank accounts in their name. When protection is enabled, financial institutions need to consult this information before opening an account.

"The objective is to hinder fraud with the use of false identities, leaked documents, or the misuse of CPF and even CNPJ by criminals", says Alexandre Bonatti, vice-president of engineering at Fortinet Brasil.

Assolini, from Kaspersky, reminds that the user must temporarily disable protection if they want to open a new account or request a credit card.

1 - Log in to www.bcb.gov.br/meubc with the silver or gold level Gov.br account2 find the Services area and access BC Protege+4 I had a restriction on opening new accounts using your CPF

REGISTRATION

The Registrato, also from the Central Bank, allows you to consult information linked to the CPF for free, such as open bank accounts, loans, cards and Pix keys.

Fabio Assolini states that the platform can help identify fraud that has already occurred and says that he discovered, through it, a credit card issued incorrectly in his wife's name. According to him, the main limitation is that the data is usually updated monthly, without real-time alerts.

How to access

1 - Log in to www.bcb.gov.br/meubc with the silver or gold level Gov.br account2 - Find the Services area and access RegistrationManage reports on accounts, loans, cards and keys PixCheck periodically to check unknown movements

REDESIM

Another free tool mentioned by Assolini is the block for opening companies on RedeSim. According to him, the service prevents criminals from using personal data to register a CNPJ in the victim's name, a scam that can generate undue charges and debts.

- Access the portal https://permissao.negocios.redesim.gov.br/- Log in with Gov.br- Look for the option to prevent business opening- Request the blocking of the use of the CPF for new CNPJs

SEARCH (IPHONE) AND FIND MY DEVICE (ANDROID)

The operating systems themselves offer tools to locate a lost or stolen cell phone, lock the device remotely and, if necessary, erase all stored data.

How to use on iPhone

- Access Search via iCloud or another Apple device - Locate the device - Activate Lost Mode or erase data remotely How to use on Android - Enter Find My Device - Sign in with your Google account - Locate, lock or erase the device

CAUTIONARY BLOCKING OF PIX

Pix's precautionary blocking is a mechanism used by banks when they identify signs of fraud. In this case, the amount received may be retained for up to 72 hours for analysis before being moved.

According to Jonathan Ramos, from Eset, the mechanism helps to reduce losses by preventing money from being quickly transferred to other accounts.

Bonatti, from Fortinet, states that, in situations of scams, the user should always look for the bank's official channels and avoid following instructions from third parties.

OTHER TIPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SCAMS

- use different passwords for each service;- activate two-step authentication, especially in the Gov.br account and email;- use a password manager;- keep your cell phone and applications always updated;- be suspicious of messages with links, urgent requests or verification codes;- never provide passwords or codes received via SMS;- file a police report after theft or theft;- immediately notify banks and your telephone operator.

"Digital security today depends on technology, but it depends to the same extent on behavior. Most of the current scams exploit users' distraction, haste and excessive confidence", says Alexandre Bonatti, from Fortinet.

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