In relation to serving to stop identity theft, there may be plenty of private data that you have to defend from falling into the improper fingers. This data ranges out of your identify and bodily handle to your Social Security Number (SSN).

However you could not suppose twice about giving out your telephone quantity each time somebody asks for it.

Whereas criminals cannot open monetary accounts or bank cards in your identify utilizing simply your telephone quantity, they’ll use it in different methods.

3 methods scammers can use your telephone quantity to steal your identification

1. Textual content message scams

If scammers have your telephone quantity, they’ll ship you text messages to cheat on you in offering confidential data (often known as smishing). These textual content messages might declare to be out of your financial institution, the IRS, or different official organizations, however their actual objective is to get you to supply private particulars or details about your monetary accounts.

2. SIM change

SIM swapping is a scam the place criminals get your actual telephone quantity transferred to a SIM card of their possession. They want your identify, handle, and telephone quantity to do that (and, in some circumstances, may have your SSN). As soon as they’ve this data, they’ll name your wi-fi supplier, pretending to be you, and port your quantity to your cellular phone.

They’ll then attempt to use your telephone quantity to achieve entry to your accounts, from financial institution accounts to social media profiles and extra. When you’ve arrange two-factor authentication utilizing textual content messages on your accounts, they’ll request to reset your password at login and use the code despatched to your quantity to entry your account.

3. Faux your quantity

Criminals might even use your telephone quantity to name or textual content folks you realize (or simply folks in your space), hoping your quantity will immediate them to name or reply. They then attempt to trick the individual into accepting no matter scheme they’re working.

Tips on how to defend your telephone quantity and identification

It may be simple for criminals to get your quantity if it was compromised in a knowledge breach. You’ll be able to even have your quantity posted on-line and in your social media pages.

You’ll be able to even get it utilizing an outdated ticket together with your quantity on it. Nonetheless, you need to take steps to guard your telephone quantity.

What’s a digital telephone quantity?

Keep away from giving your telephone quantity to anybody apart from trusted pals, household, and your physician. You’ll be able to set a virtual phone number that diverts calls to your telephone for different makes use of, so you do not have to offer out your telephone quantity.

Digital telephone numbers will be arrange by providers like Google Voice. Take away any public itemizing of your telephone quantity, similar to in your social media profiles.

Name your wi-fi service to search out out what safety measures they’ve in place earlier than they switch your telephone quantity to a brand new service or SIM card. They are able to add a private identification quantity to your account, which is able to have to be offered earlier than any motion is taken.

What’s two-factor authentication (2FA)?

It’s also possible to set Two Factor Authentication that you do not use textual content messages to entry your accounts. In lots of circumstances, two-factor authentication can name you on a landline or use an authenticator app in your telephone to achieve entry.

In case your cell phone stops working and you’ll’t ship or obtain textual content messages, do not assume it is a technical downside. Report the issue to your wi-fi service supplier as quickly as potential to search out out in case you have been a sufferer of fraud.

By no means click on on hyperlinks or obtain attachments despatched to you in textual content messages, even when they seem like from a trusted individual or group. In case your financial institution, bank card firm, or different group contacts you by way of textual content message, name them utilizing the verified quantity on their web site as a substitute of following hyperlinks or sending textual content messages.

When you consider your private data is in danger, please take into account sign up for identity theft protection. These identification theft and credit score monitoring providers, similar to Identity I.Q., can present real-time fraud and SSN alerts, web and darkish internet monitoring, and identification theft insurance coverage. These providers specialise in serving to protect your information.