Don't let them steal your phone number

[T18skyguy]

This is a growing crime, but it's starting to get a little more press. Whatever carrier you have, you can put a secret pin on your account so that your number cannot be ported to another carrier without your permission. This will stop low tech thieves as long as the employee is honest, but some criminals hire on just to commit this crime. This article from Wired magazine details a big money scheme to corrupt ATT employee's and customers lose their number.

[fj12ryder]

Okay, now your phone doesn't work. Uh, wouldn't you notice that your phone doesn't work? And contact your provider? And even if they got a notice from someone, they still need the other half of the two part authentication to do anything. So they'd have to know your login ID and/or password.

Seems like there's a whole lot of if's, and's, or but's involved. And since I don't have my phone set up to alert me for anything, it's pretty much a moot point.

[BillyBob_Jim]

If they port your number to another phone, your phone stops working. You would need to be a complete dumbass to get in this situation.

Your number would need to be ported without you noticing your phone no longer works. Then you would have to attempt to log onto some account you have that uses two factor authentication, and request the code be sent. Finally since you requested the code be sent and that operation typically takes a split second, you would have to forget you did so and not realize it never came up on your phone, all the while your phone is no longer active regardless. Can it happen? Sure? If your a moron.

But worry if you must about this. Worry while you're using your real name on these boards, posting what time you took your morning constitutional today, and where you're vacationing and when on Facebook, Blogs, and forums.

[AsheGuy]

An article that describes the exposure a little better: Criminals Can Steal Your Phone Number. Here’s How to Stop Them

[T18skyguy]

Ductape wrote:
Where’s a citation with evidence it’s a growing crime. Just because something gets press attention means nothing; every day it’s another chicken little story.

I haven’t known of a wireless carrier that didn’t use PIN numbers on accounts in 20 years.

OK, here's your proof. Plenty of people don't have a pin protecting their account at the street level. My town is not that large, and I've been hearing a lot of buzz about it last year and more this year. When you log into your carrier account online you need a pin, but when you show up in person often just a drivers license is all they want. The wireless account is more of a soft target than our bank accounts.

[Ductape]

Where’s a citation with evidence it’s a growing crime. Just because something gets press attention means nothing; every day it’s another chicken little story.

I haven’t known of a wireless carrier that didn’t use PIN numbers on accounts in 20 years.

[T18skyguy]

mda wrote:
The article was about employees unlocking phones still under contract with ATT. It does not involve phone numbers. You buy a phone with a payment plan, the carrier locks the phone until it is payed off..

At the end of the article,

Verizon employee of providing customer information in exchange for bribes, which was used to steal victims’ phone numbers.

At the street level, if they present a fake I.D. to a gullible employee, they open up your account, purchase more phones, and they take your number, cause your sim card goes with it. But yes, they bribed the ATT employees to unlock it, install malware, ruin the phone so it gets discarded. Once they have your number they can do a full identity theft on you.

[mda]

The article was about employees unlocking phones still under contract with ATT. It does not involve phone numbers. You buy a phone with a payment plan, the carrier locks the phone until it is payed off..