Being arrested just for using a phone number that was recycled, receiving strange phone calls from people who mistake you for another person, receiving strange sms, alerts and WhatsApp messages from people who you know nothing about are no more strange to mobile phone users.

I've been called a barrister, a generator technician, spoken to in a language I don't understand, all because I bought SIM cards. Our phone numbers now carry more value than ever before. Let us highlight some of the reasons why phone numbers are now very much more important than bank accounts. It's my hope that after reading this article, you'll see reasons why you should be more cautious with your phone digits.

Why your phone number is more important than your account number

#1. Your phone number enables a lot of access to your bank account.

You can perform the following banking operations with just phone number/SIM card:

* check account balance

* extract your account information

* buy recharge card

* transfer fund

* perform e-commerce operations

* verify/bypass two factor security

* activate bank mobile app

* block/freeze account

* reset passwords linked to your account, among others.

Now imagine your SIM card in the hands of a scammer? I don't mean to send shiver down your spine, but it can really get messy. With your SIM card, a scammer can mess up your life.

#2. With your phone number, you cannot hide from whoever that wants to pry on you.

You use WhatsApp, right? You may never have signed up for Truecaller, but at least one person from among all those people that have your contact is signed onto Truecaller so your name (or whatever they save your contact with) and contact most likely exist in their database. You signed up for Facebook and/or LinkedIn with your number, right?

Above all, you did BVN with your number. Even if you don't have national ID card, you already have NIMC number by the mere fact that you have done BVN and you can get it with your phone number. My point? Your phone number carries a lot of information about you. Your phone number can reveal your identity, your residence, your occupation, your habitat, age etc. All depends on the social engineering skills of whoever is interested in prying you.

#3. Security.

Your security online might depend largely on your phone number. If you're an android user, all your accounts and passwords are synchronized to your Google ID which is your email. Your email is tied/linked to your phone number.

Whenever you want to recover any lost or forgotten account/password, your phone number suffices. What this means is that, with your SIM card, all your passwords could be changed easily. Where a hacker has your phone number but without your SIM card, his psyching ability (social engineering skill) will determine whether or not he will succeed. Phone number is such a powerful tool!

#4. With your SIM, you can be impersonated.

Imagine a scammer in possession of your SIM card, what he would be capable of doing with it? Will he install WhatsApp and defraud your friends and relatives with your identity? Will he demand for favor from them via SMS? Will he possibly call and tell one lie about you, probably that you're sick, in order to extort money from them? He might actually do one or more of the above.

With increase in digitalization, phone numbers are becoming more and more important; they carry more value than ever before. How can you protect your SIM card?

Safe use of SIM card

~create SIM lock if you have not done so.

~limit personal information you share online.

~sign up to Truecaller and define how you wish to be identified online by yourself.

~having two SIM cards is great. If possible separate your banking line from your main line.

~having more lines is a bad idea. You cannot possibly maintain many lines for long.

~in event of loss, be sure to retrieve ALL your lines.


Cc: Lalasticlacla

https://burstscam.com/blog/2020/01/20/four-4-very-strong-reasons-why-your-phone-number-and-sim-card-are-more-important-than-your-bank-account/

Very informative!
Thanks Op.

Pinkiedearie:
Very informative! Thanks Op.

are you married?

Thumbs up