When cell phones first became popular, no one thought they’d become what they are today. For the first few years, it was simply a convenient way to get ahold of people when they weren’t home.
Now, cell phones feel like the center of the universe. They aren’t just phones – they’re cameras, navigation systems, banking devices, and so much more. Their capabilities have grown and expanded at an impressive pace, but with every new capability comes a new risk.
You can do a lot more with your phone, yes, but on the flip side of that, scammers can do a lot more with your phone number. Spam calls aren’t the only thing you have to worry about; identity theft, financial scams, and extortion are just a few of the possibilities.
Here are 10 things hackers can do if they get their hands on your phone number. Don’t worry – we’re going to tell you how to protect yourself from these risks, too.
Even if someone gets ahold of just your phone number and no other sensitive information, they can sell your number on the black market, adding you to data broker lists and exposing you to even more one-ring phone scams.
All over the world, the number of spam calls is on the rise. Phone scammers are bolder than ever, often making threats and posing as important people to coerce their victims into playing along.
These phone calls are often annoying at most, but sometimes, phone scams can result in huge financial losses or additional risks to your personal life or business endeavors. What used to be “just your phone number” is now a gateway to accessing you – protect that gateway as much as possible.
If your phone got swiped out of your pocket or stolen from your bag, you’d know that whoever took it has access to your phone number. But what if a scammer stole your number without even touching your device? It’s hard to conceptualize, but it happens.
Using a tactic called “SIM swapping,” fraudsters can reach out to your mobile service provider directly, pose as you, and convince the phone provider to swap the number on your SIM card to a different SIM card in a different phone.
This can be done by explaining — falsely, of course – that your phone was stolen, and you need to port your original phone number to your new phone. Once the number is added to a different SIM card and removed from your actual phone, hackers can do a lot of damage. To make matters worse, you won’t be able to do anything to stop it because you’ll lose access to your own number after it’s transferred to a different phone.
You know when you’re trying to log in to your bank account and you’re instructed to input your phone number so it can send you a login code? Imagine if that happened when your phone number was no longer in your own hands.
While these two factor authentication setups boost cybersecurity and protect your accounts, they make your phone number that much more valuable when it falls in the wrong hands.
It’s not just bank accounts that use these pathways and rely on sending a login code to your phone; online shopping accounts, hotel booking accounts, and even platforms with medical records can be accessed this way.
As mentioned above, once a hacker gets their hands on your phone number, they can do extensive damage. If identity thieves are the ones with access to your number, it won’t be pretty.
Not only will they be able to access your bank accounts and regularly-used financial applications, but they can also call your credit card company to get your card details, pretend to be you, and change the beneficiary on insurance policies and investment accounts, and so much more.
If hackers are taking out new credit cards in your name or pretending to be you for monetary gain, they’re engaging in identity theft, and you’re the victim. Because so many sensitive accounts are attached to an individual’s phone number, identity theft is an ever-growing risk.
Be extra cautious when connecting your personal phone number to work-related logins. It’s one thing to deal with personal identity theft and financial risks, but if a hacker is able to access your work email or a professional project management software, you’re exposing the entire company to these very same risks.
Your message inbox is a playground for malware and phishing attack attempts. If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably already getting a number of messages from weird numbers that tell you to “click the link to get an update on your package’s whereabouts” when you aren’t expecting a package.
In reality, once you click the link, you could unknowingly download malware or be prompted to input sensitive information on the page that pops up. Most of us are used to seeing phishing attempts come through our email inboxes, but getting direct text messages is a newer approach.
Similar to phone-swapping scams, re-routing your phone number only takes a few minutes. Think of it like call-forwarding — which is common for small businesses – hackers can forward calls and messages to their own numbers.
This method of taking advantage of your phone number is worrisome because you, the true phone number owner, won’t know anything is wrong. With SIM swapping, your phone will stop working almost immediately, alerting you to the issue. This approach won’t stop your service or ability to access the normal functions of your cell phone – it just gives hackers access in an incognito way.
If your parents got a distressing text or call from your exact phone number in the middle of the night, they’d jump into action. When a scammer uses a method such as SIM swapping or forwarding, they can make outgoing calls and texts from your number, exploiting your loved ones’ biggest fears.
With artificial intelligence and the rise of deepfake technology, if your mom picks up a call from your number, it’ll sound like your voice on the other line even if it’s not. Hackers can use these technologies to mimic your sounds and mannerisms, making it hard for the recipient of these calls to figure out that it’s just an elaborate phone scam.
After getting ahold of your phone number, hackers can easily find other sensitive data. They may be able to call your mobile provider and get a copy of your phone bill which has your home address on it – and that’s just the start.
Scammers can find your social media sites or employment information and post details about your personal life, shopping habits, and daily schedule on the dark web. Once that information is leaked to such an unregulated environment, it’s hard to know what could happen.
It’s not just family and friends that can be tricked into thinking you’re on the other end of the line; hackers can use your phone number to carry out attacks on anyone. It could look like sending ransomware texts from your cell phone number or using it to call and coerce unsuspecting victims into sending money somewhere.
Since your name is attached to that number, local law enforcement will ask you to answer for the suspicious activity. If the phone number is attached to your business, inadvertently getting involved in an illegal scheme could lead to investigations into your organization, customer distrust, catastrophic data breaches, and financial ruin.
At this point, it should be apparent how hackers can use money to access your online accounts, but when it comes to social media, it’s not the initial access that’s damaging. Scammers can hide behind your social media accounts to harass or intimidate other people, and they can also post sensitive data on your profiles.
Think of the reach your social media has – the average person has at least hundreds of friends or connections on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. If a bad actor can manipulate even ten people using your likeness, you’re in for some trouble.
Remember, social media accounts aren’t just for your personal friends and family anymore. Platforms like LinkedIn and X can be used in professional settings, too. You never want hackers to be able to ruin professional relationships or business ties.
It’s downright terrifying to think about what hackers can do with something as simple as a cell phone number, but knowing the possibilities allows you to get a plan in place. If you don’t want to deal with the fallout from the 10 risks detailed above, put safeguards in place now. Here are some ideas:
These days, phone providers are committed to protecting their customers. Many carriers offer extra protection add-ons for users that can block calls, flag potential issues, and more.
If you find yourself in a bind and think your phone number may be compromised, call your phone provider and have them assist you with next steps.
Only answer calls from numbers you’re familiar with. Better yet, only answer calls from numbers that you have personally saved in your phone.
If you answer calls from scammers, they’ll keep targeting you in hopes that one day the scam attempt will work. They can’t scam you if you don’t answer. Remember: if anyone really needs to get ahold of you, they can leave a voicemail.
All businesses are required to use multi-factor authentication to secure cybersecurity insurance in the U.S. If businesses rely on it to prevent cyberattacks and reduce hacking risks, individuals should follow suit.
Make sure you change important passwords regularly; every 90 days is a good target for refreshing passwords. Create passwords that aren’t easy to guess, don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, and make sure to use a combination of letters, numbers, and special symbols. Most devices have password managers built-in which can store your passwords safely – those are always a good option.
Check your online accounts for suspicious activity. In the same way that you look at bank account statements to verify all transactions are legitimate, log in to your social media accounts and other platforms and ensure nothing looks out of the ordinary.
If you see something that causes concern, don’t ignore it. Mobile phone carriers, government agencies, and local law enforcement would much rather you report potential issues than convince yourself that you’re just being dramatic.
If you lock your SIM card, hackers will be prevented from swapping it or taking over without you knowing. Most of the time, you can do this right from your phone. If it’s locked, your SIM card will require you to input a PIN before making any changes.
Speaking of locking…lock your credit, too. Work with the major credit bureaus to lock your credit and prevent new lines of credit in your name. This will provide more identity theft protection and keep your financial accounts safe.
Your mobile device holds a lot of information, and today, information is power; make sure that power doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. However, you now have more information – and therefore, more power – about what to protect yourself from and just how to do it.
No person or business should adopt the mentality of “it’ll never happen to me,” because the truth is that hackers take advantage of unsuspecting victims every single day. At this very moment, someone’s phone number is being stolen or taken advantage of. Don’t let it be yours.
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Eftsure provides continuous control monitoring to protect your eft payments. Our multi-factor verification approach protects your organisation from financial loss due to cybercrime, fraud and error.
