Once scammers know your number, they can target you with phishing texts and calls, or trick you into downloading malware and giving up personal information. And once they gain access to your personally identifiable information (PII), it doesn't take much more to access your financial (and other sensitive) accounts.
5. Identity theft. When someone gets your phone number, that person can pretend to be you. Hackers can hijack your online accounts by getting password reset links sent to your phone number. They can fool automated systems by calling customer service and stealing your data, such as your credit card information.
If someone steals your phone number, they become you — for all intents and purposes. With your phone number, a hacker can start hijacking your accounts one by one by having a password reset sent to your phone. They can trick automated systems — like your bank — into thinking they're you when you call customer service.
Identity thieves can take out loans or obtain credit cards and even driver's licenses in your name. They can do damage to your financial history and personal reputation that can take years to unravel. But if you understand how to protect yourself, you can help stop this crime.
Notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that you have been phished. The FTC is the nation's consumer protection agency. The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection works for the consumer to prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices in the marketplace.
The easiest way to become a victim of a bank scam is to share your banking info — e.g., account numbers, PIN codes, social security number — with someone you don't know well and trust. If someone asks for sensitive banking details, proceed with caution.
If fraudsters can combine your bank details and other easy-to-find information — such as your Social Security number (SSN), ABA or routing number, checking account number, address, or name — they can easily begin to steal money from your account.
It is used to verify your identity, communicate with you, and pinpoint your location. It's no wonder that phone numbers are targeted by thieves! Changing your phone number is one of the optimum ways to protect yourself from repeated identity theft.
With just your name and phone number:
Fraudsters could impersonate you and convince your service provider to assign them a new SIM card in your name. Once they put the new SIM card into their phone, they can start using your phone number instantly.
The scammer could take out loans in your name. He/she could use your identity to scam others. He/she could cause you all sorts of financial problems and heartache.
An identity thief can use your name and information to: buy things with your credit cards. get new credit cards. open a phone, electricity, or gas account.
First let's clear up one myth - giving out your bank account number and BSB is fine. "There is no issue in giving out your BSB/account details as it's only possible to deposit funds rather than withdraw funds," an ING spokesperson told Money. "If an unauthorised debit occurs then the debiting institution is liable."
Direct Debit fraud occurs when a debit is taken from your account without the proper authority from you set out in a valid Direct Debit request. Sometimes this has happened when BSB and account numbers published online or in a public document have been used via Direct Debit to debit accounts.
It's also possible hackers could use your email account to gain access to your bank account or credit card information, draining funds from an account, or racking up charges. They might even use your email and password to sign up for online sites and services, sticking you with monthly fees in the process.
Can thieves steal identities with only a name and address? In short, the answer is “no.” Which is a good thing, as your name and address are in fact part of the public record. Anyone can get a hold of them. However, because they are public information, they are still tools that identity thieves can use.
Contact your bank immediately to let them know what's happened and ask if you can get a refund. Most banks should reimburse you if you've transferred money to someone because of a scam.
Change the passwords, pin numbers, and log in information for all of your potentially affected accounts, including your email accounts, and any accounts that use the same password, pin, or log in information. Contact your police department, report the crime and obtain a police report.
Signs of identity theft
Unusual bills or charges that you don't recognise appear on your bank statement. Mail that you're expecting doesn't arrive. You get calls or texts about products and services you've never used.
What can a scammer do with your email? Stolen credentials allow a scammer to send malicious messages or malware links to your contacts, extract personal or financial information from your saved messages, or get your friends and family to send money to them under false pretenses.
PhishLabs warns that replying to a phishing email, even if you know it's a scam, can lead to further attacks. Most phishing campaigns are automated and replying to them puts you on a scammer's radar. PhishLabs stresses that these people are criminals, and that they can be vindictive or even dangerous.
The best way to find out if someone has opened an account in your name is to pull your own credit reports to check. Note that you'll need to pull your credit reports from all three bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — to check for fraud since each report may have different information and reporting.
Follow these steps to remove a hacker from your phone number: Download antivirus software. Run a virus scan to quarantine and delete any malware. Back up your data.