Thieves are stealing phones to access victims’ bank accounts, Boston police warn

Boston police are investigating a recent uptick in cell phone thefts that have led to fraudulent banking transactions on victims’ accounts.

Police said the thieves were able to access private data stored on the cell phones to make the unauthorized transactions. 

“The victims have reported discovering financial accounts that have been compromised, resulting in multiple fraudulent charges and withdrawn funds,” police said in a statement. “The Boston Police Department urges the community to remain vigilant when out in public and to take steps to safeguard personal electronic devices.”

In light of the recent crimes, investigators are urging people to lock their devices with a passcode and be aware of “shoulder surfing,” a technique assailants use to peek at private information on cell phone screens.

“Be aware of your surroundings. Individuals may stand close by and watch as you enter passwords for applications,” police said. “Many companies offer screen protectors that can obscure your screen from onlookers as you use your devices.”

Police also urged people to avoid automatic logins, and use passcodes on all financial apps. If a phone is stolen, officials recommend that victims enable “lost mode” or remotely wipe all data and contact police immediately. 

“Be sure to quickly change any passwords connected to the stolen device, [as] even apps that offer Two Factor Authentication may be jeopardized as the thief likely will have access to both your email account and text messages,” police said.

Morgan Rousseau

Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.

Want to leave a comment?

Create an Account Or sign in to your account

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

To comment, please verify your email address

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com