Anyone with a phone urged to do these two security checks before installing an app

Mobile phone apps often need updating and many services require an app to use but people have been urged to take care when downloading an app onto their device.

Lee Elliott, chief product officer at Compare and Recycle, shared some tips on how to keep your phone safe and to avoid it being infected with malware.

He pointed to two key steps to go through before you decide to download new software: "Before installing an app from the App Store or Google Play, always ensure it is a verified app and pay attention to its reviews."

Nonetheless, he does encourage users to make sure their apps are updated regularly and to install any security patches when prompted.

He warned of some of the dangers of your device being infected with malware, as this could provide unauthorised access to yoru personal data and banking apps, and there is risk that criminals could steal your identity.

Signs that your device may have been infected include receiving unrecognised texts or calls, spotting pop ups, or if your device gets hot or the battery drains faster than usual.

Other issues that could indicate your device has been targeted include slow page loads, interruptions in your online browsing or spikes in data usage.

Mr Elliott said: "If you suspect your device has been infected, the first port of call is to turn off your mobile data or Wi-Fi, and uninstall any suspicious apps you can identify.

"You could also perform a factory reset. On Android phones you can run a built-in scan to search for malware and resolve the issue, but due to the OS architecture out of the box, iPhones are well protected and are not generally susceptible to security breaches, so if you’re experiencing any strange pop-ups as an Apple user try clearing your browsing history and cache first, and it'll likely solve the problem."

Some other tips he shared to prevent being targeted include to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi and to not accept any suspicious pairing requests via Bluetooth when in public.

The Met Police recently released a statement urging people to take precautions after a spate of phone thefts where brazen thieves steal a phone from a person's hand.

Mr Elliott shared a tip to minimise the damage should your device be stolen. He said: "While staying aware of your surroundings is the least you can do to stop your phone being snatched in the first place, there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself and prevent the worst from happening.

"A lesser-known trick for iPhone users is to disable Control Centre access from the lock screen – this prevents thieves from quickly switching off Wi-Fi or turning on Airplane Mode if they grab your phone while it’s locked, helping you retain the ability to track the device via Find My iPhone and making them more likely to let go of the device.

"Simply navigate to 'Face ID & Passcode' in settings and toggle off the option for accessing your control centre when the phone is locked."

He also encouraged iPhone users to enable Stolen Device Protection to make it harder for thieves to change your account security settings.

You may also want to have eSIM for extra security as a physical SIM can be removed from the device to take it offline, whereas keeping it online means you can still use its tracking features.