Smart Safety: Pokemon Go and Cyber Security

The widely popular augmented-reality smartphone game, Pokemon Go, has gone viral -- exceeding both Snapchat and Twitter in terms of daily active users, but the game raises serious privacy and security concerns. Pokemon Go requires users to login using Google credentials, which means that once the user grants "full access" permission, the company behind PokeMon Go now has access to players' Gmail-based email, Google Drive based files, photos and videos stored in Google Photos, and any other content within their Google accounts. May users are also downloading malware infected apps from third party sites.

Adam Levin, Chairman and Founder of IDT911 and author of "Swiped" says "people love their games and get distracted. Because the game requires a Google login and prompts the user to grant full access permissions, this could be a privacy nightmare. The makers of the game could actually be spying on your email, photos and videos and location. The security concern is that many users are downloading the app from third parties and could be infecting their devices with malware, exposing their personal and financial data and leaving them open to identity theft and phishing scams. Users should always check and be aware of what permission they are granting when installing the app and should download the app from a legitimate source."

ADAM LEVIN

Adam K. Levin is a consumer advocate with more than 30 years of experience and is a nationally recognized expert on security, privacy, identity theft, fraud, and personal finance. A former Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Mr. Levin is Chairman and founder of IDT911 (IDentity Theft 911) and co-founder of Credit.com.  Adam Levin is the author of Amazon Best Selling Book "Swiped", in book stores now.