Too long; didn’t read version: the messaging platform you use on your phone matters–and there’s a better one out there, Signal, that you should download and install today. It’s free, safe, and easy to use. I’m writing this guide because I think we are more vulnerable to scams and surveillance than ever before. I didn’t find up to date guides that made a strong recommendation. Here’s mine:
Why bother? Scams abound; privacy matters
Have you noticed that hardly a day goes by without some kind of suspicious message popping up on your phone? Here’s one that gave me pause this week: The subject line: “EZ Pass Toll Violation” was well-crafted, and seemed plausible. We have a car. We use EZ Pass. Could this be legitimate? But then I noticed something off: the sender had a +63 country code (Philippines). The link looked shady–not something EZ Pass would use.. However, it came in as an Apple iMessage, which I usually only get from people I know and trust.
EZ pass unpaid…
So I “Delete and Report Spam,” after I exerted some minimal effort to stop, analyze, and decided this was a scam. What if there were a better way? One where these types of messages don’t reach me in the first place?
Messaging Should Be Simple and Safe
Sending short messages is one of the best things we can do with our devices—connecting us with friends and family near and far. The catch? It’s gotten more complicated and a bit riskier. There are countless ways to send messages: SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, iMessage. But not all are created equal. While many claim to care about privacy, few actually live up to that promise. Scammers have access
What’s the big deal about privacy?
You might be thinking, I have nothing to hide. Who would care about me? But privacy isn’t about secrecy—it’s about control. The reality is that scams and fraud thrive in an environment where messages are easily intercepted, spoofed, or tracked.
Traditional SMS messages? They’re not encrypted and can be read by your phone company (or intercepted by hackers). RCS—the so-called “next-generation SMS” for Android? Still not encrypted when sent between Android and iPhone. WhatsApp and Telegram? They encrypt your messages, but they collect data about your conversations—whom you talk to, when, and how often. That’s valuable information that companies might sell or governments might demand.
We deserve better and a solution–and the good news is that the best solution is free, easy to install, and respects your privacy from the start.
Say Hello to Signal
Signal is a messaging app developed by the non-profit Signal Foundation, built with privacy and security in mind from day one. That’s it. No ads. No tracking. No selling your data. It’s supported by donations from people like me. I chip in $5/month because I believe in its mission of keeping conversations truly private.
Other apps might keep your messages private, but Signal ensures that even metadata—like who you talk to and when—stays private too. Your contact list isn’t stored. Your messages aren’t stored. Unline WhatsApp, Signal doesn’t even know who you’re messaging. In an age of almost daily data breaches and identity theft, these choices things matter–and Signal is a much better choice.
Getting Started
In order to reap these benefits, you need to be on Signal, and so do those that you’re messaging. As more people use Signal we all become safer. It works on all phones and PCs—iPhone, Android, Mac, PCs. It’s easy to download and install:
👉 Go to https://signal.org/download and install it on your phone.
👉 Link it to your phone number (this helps others find you but doesn’t expose your number publicly).
👉 Set up a PIN (this adds an extra layer of security).
👉 Decide whether to share contacts (I do—Signal never stores them, but it checks which of your contacts are on Signal).
👉 Install Signal on your computer (optional but useful).
Why bother?
With Signal, you can message people, make calls, and join group chats knowing that no one but you and the recipient can read your conversation. If you’re in a group, only members of that group can see those messages. It works just like the messaging applications you already use. If you’re on iMessage or What’s App you already know how to use it.
In three plus years of use, I’ve never received a scam text on Signal. The only time I’ve gotten a message from someone I didn’t know, I simply declined the request. It’s that easy.
Switching to Signal doesn’t just protect you—it helps protect everyone. The more people who use it, the stronger the network becomes.
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!
Why should you listen to me? I got my first computer in the 1980s when they still had floppy drives and have been using them ever since. I’ve worked in a range of roles that put technology in the service of humans. More recently, I have made digital products for Consumer Reports. I’ve managed to avoid scams (so far) but friends, acquaintances and family members have fallen prey to increasingly sophisticated scams.
For further reading on scams.
https://www.consumerreports.org/money/scams-fraud/new-scams-to-watch-out-for-a9334297641/