Secure your SIM card to secure your Bank account.

With the high rate of online pilferers and the increasing rates of emptying the bank accounts of those whose phones are stolen, it has become pertinent for individuals to always ensure the security of their phones beyond phone lock alone.

Although many people lock their phones, that does not guarantee the complete security of the phone and every detail linked to it as the Serial Identification Module (SIM) card can be ejected and inserted into another phone to carry out various fictitious acts, like meddling with peoples' accounts, defrauding those whose contacts are on the SIM, among others.

For example, last week, a friend of mine lost his locked android phone, but less than 2 hours later, all the fund in his First Bank account was emptied, when he went to the bank, the bank claimed it is beyond their control and nothing could be done to get the money back or to trace the culprit due to third party rules.

How could hackers easily log on to phones in such a short period if the phone was really locked? This was the question many people asked.

It is a simple logic. When a phone is stolen because the phone is locked, the SIM card is ejected and inserted into another phone, then the steps to reset the PIN which enables this action is initiated

How can one prevent this from happening should in case one phone is lost or stolen? SIM lock. 

SIM lock is specifically the locking of SIM. This is done by entering the default PIN and changing to one's not-easy-to-guess PIN.

Once the phone is switched off or removed from the phone, it will require a PIN to work at all and even have a network.

Also, when a wrong PIN is entered thrice the SIM would lock and thus need a Personal Unlocking Key(PUK) which always comes with the SIM card holder and assessable only by the rightful owner.

This tip would go a long way in curbing the spate at which people's bank accounts are hacked through mobile phones in the country.