My Phone Was Hacked. How Do I Fix It?

It’s creepy knowing someone is accessing your phone against your will. We keep a lot of personal and important information on our cell phones. We do our banking, talk with friends and family, access our email account, and other personal information. With this being said, mobile security is very important. You’ll want to take action right away if you believe you’ve been hacked. If you’re thinking “My phone was hacked, how do I fix it?”, let’s take a look at what you can do.

Signs Someone Is Hacking Your Phone

• Unknown Apps: A hacked phone will often have unfamiliar apps running in the background. These are special hacker apps not available in the official app store.
• Constant Low Battery: Hacking a phone will quickly run the battery down. A constant dead battery is a sign something could be wrong.
• Hot, Hot, Hot: Does your phone feel hot even if you haven’t been using it? That could be an indicator you’ve been hacked. Extra activity will cause any device to heat up.
• Strange Charges: Are there charges on your phone bill that you don’t understand? Hackers tracking you with GPS will cause roaming and data charges to go much higher.
• Nonsensical Text Messages: Hacked phones will often receive texts in code or that are otherwise indecipherable. It happens when the phone’s message system picks up the coded messages delivered by the hacker.

What To Do If Your Phone Is Hacked

Delete Unknown Apps

If you can’t remember downloading it and don’t know what purpose it serves, it’s best to be safe and delete it. You’ll notice these apps running in the background despite you never having seen or interacted with them before.

Use Antivirus Software

There are plenty of good antivirus programs designed for all operating systems. Utilizing this kind of software shields you from possible outside attacks. There are free versions available, but superior protection will come with a price tag.

Keep Your Phone Updated

Regular updates will keep the phone’s defenses up. You want your security system as up to date as possible. It may seem like an inconvenience, but ignoring that upgrade could cost you in the long run. Take a half-hour or so and upgrade your cell phone.

Check Your Phone Bill

You’ll notice a higher monthly bill than normal if your phone gets hacked. The excess activity will likely raise your data charges. Go through your monthly statement with a fine-tooth comb. Getting in touch with your service provider can prevent it from costing you financially.

Factory Reset

This should be a last resort. A factory reset will clear ALL your data from the phone and restore it to its original, default settings. Your pictures, settings, and everything else will be erased. In this case, any hacking program will be removed from the phone along with all your files.

Ways To Prevent Future Hacking

Being proactive now will prevent future attacks from happening to you. Here are some ways in which to protect yourself.

• Turn Off Bluetooth When Not In Use: Bluetooth is a common way for hackers to access target phones. There was a hacking scare known as Blueborne in 2017 where this very thing was happening.
• Be Wary Of Public Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi connections make everything run a little faster. However, it might be worth using your own data to keep cybercriminals at bay.
• Keep Your Phone Upgraded: Staying upgraded means your phone has the best defense available for your operating system.
• Only Use Official Apps: Only purchase apps from the official app store. Outside apps are risky and tend to cause problems.
• Create Strong Passwords: Come up with something clever, or better yet, something nonsensical that nobody will guess. Don’t use common information about yourself like name, address, or anything somebody might be able to guess.

How PhoneSpector Can Help

If you think a factory reset is necessary but don’t want to lose everything, you’ll want to back the files up somewhere else before you reset the phone. Cell phone monitoring programs, like PhoneSpector, have the ability to store data from the target phone. This system is usually used for data recovery on a damaged phone. However, if you choose to do a factory reset, this software will allow you to save your files on your user dashboard before you reset the phone. That way, you won’t lose all of your pictures, contacts, messages, call logs, and other files, while the phone is wiped clean. A factory reset is the most surefire way of eliminating a hack. PhoneSpector makes it a more viable option by providing a backup platform. It also gives you an alternative way to monitor the phone for hacking activity

Taking precautions ahead of time will help prevent future attacks. As connected as our daily lives are with our devices, it pays to be proactive. Keep a lookout for the signs of hacking. If you realize that your phone has been hacked, it’s best to take action right away. PhoneSpector can help back up any data you’re worried about losing. A factory reset will clear you 100%. Just save the files you want to keep to your user dashboard before doing so.

Originally Published On PhoneSpector On May 3, 2019.