Hackers can scam you using just your phone number
If you’ve ever watched a documentary about scams and swindlers, you’ll be aware how easy it is to get scammed. Hackers have a plethora of ways to make you give them money. And all they really need for that is your phone number. Here’s four ways you could get scammed.
Personal details
The first and easiest way for hackers to abuse your phone number, is to find out more personal details about you. Several websites exist that can provide anyone with your personal information, says tech expert Burton Kelso. These websites will buy your information and sell it to hackers with access to your phone number. This can include stuff such as your address, names and addresses for family members, your criminal record, etc. Hackers can use this information for nefarious goals such as blackmail, stalking, or identity theft.
Redirecting your number
It’s pretty easy for a hacker to find out your phone plan provider. All they have to do, is call this provider and pretend they’re you. This way, they can redirect your phone number to their phone. Next, it’s quite easy for a hacker to gain access to your e-mail account. Of course, they won’t have your password, but they don’t need it. After all: when all communication to your phone number gets redirected to them, all they have to do is click the ‘forgot password’ button. The reset link will get sent to your phone number, but as the hacker has access to your number, they’ll get to see it anyway. As soon as the hacker has access to your e-mail, it’ll be easy to get access to any other accounts you may have from there.
Spoofing
You’ve probably seen this term being thrown around recently. Spoofing means someone could fake having your phone number. This also happens with, for example, banks, so it looks like your bank is calling you while it’s actually a scammer. If a hacker has your number however, they can make it seem like ‘you’ are calling your parents or your daughter to ask them for money. This is currently a real issue in countries such as the UK and the Netherlands, where criminals will spoof phone numbers to target unsuspecting people over WhatsApp, for example.
Read more about possible scams and more importantly: ways to protect yourself on the next page!
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