A phone in the hands of a fraudster is like an open wallet left on a park bench—everything’s exposed, and it’s only a matter of time before someone takes advantage.
Here are three types of messages you should never keep on your phone if you don’t want to hand over your money, personal details, and peace of mind to criminals.
1. **Bank passwords and verification codes**
*”It’s just a one-time code—what’s the harm?”* thinks the naive user. Meanwhile, the scammer’s grinning: *”Cheers, mate.”*
The problem is, even a few digits can give crooks a foothold—especially if they’ve already got some of your details: full name, phone number, online banking login. Account recovery is like a puzzle where every tiny piece matters.
So—see a verification text? Enter it, then delete it. Ruthlessly. And clear your bin too, because on Android and iOS, deleted messages can linger for weeks, even months.
2. **Photos of your documents**
This includes your passport, driving licence, National Insurance number, bank card details—anything that could help someone impersonate you.
What do fraudsters do with these photos? Take out payday loans, buy SIM cards, register fake accounts, sometimes even sell them on the dark web.
One decent photo with legible details is all it takes to invite a world of trouble. So no *”I’ll just send it to a friend and delete it later.”* Later never comes.
If you must save it, use a secure cloud with two-factor authentication or trusted storage like 1Password, NordLocker, or encrypted Google Drive.
3. **Messages with personal or sensitive info**
PINs, card numbers, CVVs, home addresses, relatives’ phone numbers, answers to security questions like *”Your childhood pet’s name?”*—this is all ammunition against you.
Scammers who get into your phone often dig through texts and chats. If they strike gold—like a conversation with your mum where you wrote *”the Wi-Fi password’s the same as my card’s”*—game over.
Even if you stash this stuff in a chat with yourself, it’s no safer. A lost phone without a lock screen? Instant security breach.
**Don’t forget the recycle bin and backups!**
Deleted doesn’t mean gone. Texts and files can linger in memory or get saved in automatic backups. Check your settings, turn off auto-saves for sensitive stuff, and manually clear anything dodgy.
**The bottom line:**
If it could cause trouble, don’t keep it on your phone—especially in plain text messages. It’s not an archive, a safe, or a time capsule. It’s a device that can be lost, stolen, or hacked without breaking a sweat.
So here’s a simple rule: be paranoid, and you’ll sleep easier.
Now, be honest—do you regularly clear your messages? Or is your inbox a Netflix-worthy vault of incriminating evidence?
