British consumer advocacy group Which.co.uk is warning users to keep mobile phone numbers active. This is to ward off the risks of their numbers getting recycled by top mobile network providers.
The goal is to send messages, make calls, or use data at frequent intervals to prevent numbers from getting cut off. They similarly highlighted how several deactivation policies get into place by different providers who cut those that remain inactive after just three months. Others like Voxi do give plenty of warnings before time before deactivation begins.
Getting your number deactivated might appear like nothing unusual but that’s not the case. The company explained how numbers begin recycling when new people join so your number can go to another. As a result, customers receive unwanted messages.
It does not end there. While phone numbers are used for 2FA, recycling increases security risks. Hence, to prevent the matter from getting out of hand, requests were generated to Ofcom to improve the process on how service providers communicate about the deactivation risks.
It also wishes the regulator could look into issues where consumers are impacted. As per recent research studies, so many individuals keep getting unwanted calls and texts. These go up to several years and were intended for the previous owner.
Many debt collection agencies also confirmed the use of recycled numbers as a means to rid of debts and get away without paying. So people do switch numbers for some of the wrong reasons to avoid getting caught. Other examples raised the alarm about some new customers getting messages about drug sales and delivery.
Therefore, you don’t only have to be in the UK to be affected. No matter where you reside, you must think twice before swapping numbers and also update 2FA from old numbers.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Google’s AI Overviews Filter Out HCU-Affected Sites, Experts Speak Out
The goal is to send messages, make calls, or use data at frequent intervals to prevent numbers from getting cut off. They similarly highlighted how several deactivation policies get into place by different providers who cut those that remain inactive after just three months. Others like Voxi do give plenty of warnings before time before deactivation begins.
Getting your number deactivated might appear like nothing unusual but that’s not the case. The company explained how numbers begin recycling when new people join so your number can go to another. As a result, customers receive unwanted messages.
It does not end there. While phone numbers are used for 2FA, recycling increases security risks. Hence, to prevent the matter from getting out of hand, requests were generated to Ofcom to improve the process on how service providers communicate about the deactivation risks.
It also wishes the regulator could look into issues where consumers are impacted. As per recent research studies, so many individuals keep getting unwanted calls and texts. These go up to several years and were intended for the previous owner.
Many debt collection agencies also confirmed the use of recycled numbers as a means to rid of debts and get away without paying. So people do switch numbers for some of the wrong reasons to avoid getting caught. Other examples raised the alarm about some new customers getting messages about drug sales and delivery.
Therefore, you don’t only have to be in the UK to be affected. No matter where you reside, you must think twice before swapping numbers and also update 2FA from old numbers.
Read next: Google’s AI Overviews Filter Out HCU-Affected Sites, Experts Speak Out
