Secure your online account
Make sure it is safe before you start the step-by-step guide
Remember that some actions you take to increase your security or privacy might alert an abuser, and they might escalate their abusive behaviour.
If you haven’t yet, read our Safety information.
Steps to secure your online account
- If you’re worried someone is monitoring your phone, use a safer device to contact Refuge’s 24hr National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Freephone) on 0808 2000 247. A safer device might be another phone from a trusted friend, family, or a neighbour, or a computer in a library, school, or workplace.
- Check which people and devices are linked to your account, and remove unwanted connections.
- Change the password for your online account, including email, apps, websites, and payment methods that are connected to your account. Remove any unused or unwanted connections.
- Turn off “find my device” and location sharing.
- Check which apps, websites, and payment methods are connected to your account, and remove any unused or unwanted connections.
- Use privacy and security checkup tools offered by the companies.
Online account security basics
Online accounts or ‘cloud’ accounts like a Google account or Apple ID (iCloud) are needed when you set up or use your phone.
Accounts: Every phone, most tablets and other devices are connected to a cloud account and an email account.
More than one device can be connected to a single cloud or shared cloud account. You may also have a cloud account separate from a phone or other device. If you have an iPhone or other Apple product, this cloud account is the Apple ID. For Android this is a Google account. Some laptops or tablets may be connected to a Microsoft account. This means that if someone else knows your password or you have a family-shared account, they likely have access to information about you, including your location and activity.
What’s in the cloud: Websites you visit, calls you make, messages you send, places you go, how fast you’re traveling, payments you make, photos you take, apps you use, and more.
This means that anyone who can access your online account or who you have a family-shared account with may be able to see some or all of this information for you or your children.