Once you report this information to the phone company they will identify the harassing number and report it to law enforcement. Call trap: After requesting a call trap, write down the dates and times you receive harassing phone calls for the next couple weeks (or for as long as your provider requests).If you are receiving repeated harassment calls from an unknown number, contact your phone provider and ask if these services are available: Update, April 29, 2019: Miscellaneous minor updates.Enable "call trap" or "call trace" functions.
Got any other recommendations for avoiding port-out scams? Share them in the comments!
Although that second number could still be stolen by hackers, it won't be tied to anything mission-critical. One more tip: Give friends, family members and banks your regular number, but for everything else, use a "disposable" second number, which you can get from the likes of Google Voice and Textfree.
#T mobile telephone number password
While you're at it, use a password manager to generate strong passwords and keep track of the various PINs and passwords used for your bank, phone carrier and other critical services. The company also recommends "checking with your bank to see if there is an alternative to using text-for-PIN authentication, such as email."ĬNET also recommends avoiding SMS for two-step verification. It's worth noting that the new passcode doesn't replace your existing T-Mobile PIN or password it's a second layer of security. To enable the feature, you can dial 611 from your phone or call 80. After that, T-Mo won't honor any port-out request unless that passcode is provided. How can you protect yourself? If you're a T-Mobile customer, you're strongly urged to enable port validation, which requires the creation of a 6- to 15-digit passcode. Safety in numbersĪlthough these scams aren't necessarily limited to T-Mobile (they're "affecting the entire wireless industry," according to a T-Mo FAQ page on the subject), the carrier's security breach in 2017 exposed the personal data of millions of customers - hence the recent uptick in fraudulent activity. In this case, however, T-Mobile was warning customers about a very real issue: "port-out scams," an attempt by hackers to capture your phone number, transfer it to another carrier, and then use it to access your bank account.įor example, if a thief is able to port your number without your knowledge, they can then use that number to bypass two-factor authentication at your bank or another financial service - because the SMS confirmation will now come to his phone, which has your number. Turns out it was the former, though you should always think twice before tapping or clicking any link that seems overly alarmist - and you should never enter personal information unless you've gone directly to a company's website or app. Er, text.Īlarming, no? Was the text from T-Mobile proper, or was it a form of phishing - an attempt to get you to visit a malicious website? That's a strange message to get from your carrier - but it's also an important wake-up call. Last year some T-Mobile customers - including a CNET staffer - received a strange text message:
We can recommend ways to help you identify scams that lure you to give up your details, and have tips to help keep your phone number safe. If a hacker gets hold of it, you could be facing some serious personal privacy issues. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but there's one more security threat to worry about: your phone number.
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