Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Preto_perola
Topics: Phones, Crime, Technology
Joe Yates
With the US being the most targeted country in the world when it comes to cyber attacks, it's important that Americans know how to protect themselves online.
One way to do that is by understanding the three signs your cell phone could be under attack - and if so you'd need to switch it off immediately.
But first, let's dive into the statistics.
According to figures provided by cyber security experts AAG, in the first half of 2022, 53 million Americans had been affected by cyber crime - which equates to 15 percent of the total population in just six months.
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While between July 2020 and June 2021, the US was by far the most targeted country for cyber attacks, accounting for 46 percent of all online attacks globally.
In 2021, individuals in the US lost a staggering $6.9 billion to cyber-related crimes, with $1.4 billion coming from investment scams, $956 million from romance fraudsters and $2.39 billion from business email compromises, according to US federal agency, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
So now that we know what we're up against, let's get into the signs that you may be being targeted.
It's not totally unusual for your phone to get warm when it's charging or if you're running a high-power feature.
But if you notice that your device is hot with everyday habits like scrolling Instagram or checking your calendar, it could be a sign that there are some malicious processes running in the background.
Harmful processes can access phone functions that use a lot of power, which in turn heats up your device.
If your phone battery is being drained far faster than usual, something fishy could be going on.
Android users may have heard of the latest scam fraudsters are using, the Gorilla SMS stealer, and if you get tricked into downloading it, part of its coding bypasses power management functions.
So if you notice your battery draining quickly, just give your phone a quick reboot and it should fix the issue.
Lag is the nemesis of gamers - there's nothing worse than your internet messing up while you're on Call of Duty or on Madden.
If you experience a lag while on your phone, for instance if you click on an app and there's a delay before it opens it up, the best thing for you to do is to turn your phone off and give it a reboot.
After all, it's better to be safe than sorry!