A person’s mobile phone number is a piece of personal information that can be used for malicious purposes. We’ll tell you why you shouldn’t give out your number on the internet and how it can be dangerous.
We’ll also share with you a workable way to get an extra number for a couple of cents to register on the Internet.
Here’s why you shouldn’t publish your personal number on the Internet
1. Spam and advertising calls
The most innocuous thing about publishing your number on the Internet is that you may receive spam calls from various companies.
Many services that collect mobile phone numbers upon registration sell their client phone numbers to advertising companies and spammers for spamming.
As a result, all users who used their personal phone number to register started getting nuisance calls and advertising messages.
Messages may come from different companies and people in most cases because such databases are not sold once.
It is difficult to get rid of such calls through blacklisting because this type of spam uses many numbers that change over time, and it is impossible to block all of them.
2. Search by phone number
The phone number is merely one component of the user’s personal information, but it is often used to verify you on various websites and apps.
For example, if your number is listed on a social networking page or dating site, simply entering your number into the browser can find all of your personal accounts.
As a result, anyone can find out your first name, last name, and what you look like. Many people even tag relatives on their pages. Also, if a user has geolocation tagging turned on, your location, home address, or vacation spot will be known.
This data can easily be used by fraudsters for blackmail and deception.
3. Chances of fraud
The third unpleasant thing that can happen when you leak your phone number online is that scammers will be after you.
If you have specified not only your mobile number but also your name, age, and other personal data while registering the number somewhere on the Internet, they can be used by internet scammers for their own purposes.
See also: How to Recognize and Avoid Messaging Scams
For example, they introduce themselves as employees of different structures while knowing the subscriber’s full name in order to gain your trust. Upon hearing your name, the victim may get confused and lose vigilance, which is what the fraudsters take advantage of.
Other fraudulent actions can be committed using the phone number. The most common is a text message on behalf of family members asking them to transfer money to a phone number or card account.
If the number belongs to elderly people who have children, they may immediately transfer the money without knowing who actually sent the SMS.
An alternative to using your own personal number on the internet
Although publishing your personal number on the internet can have unfortunate consequences, not everyone knows how to protect themselves and keep their number completely “secret.”
Because your phone number is required for registration in messengers, social networks, banking apps, and other services, you must receive a confirmation code via SMS to your phone in order to activate your account.
But there is a way to keep your personal phone number secret. If you need to register with a service that requires you to provide your phone number, we recommend that you use a virtual phone number for SMS.
What is a virtual phone number and how do I use it?
Let’s take a look at how to obtain such phone numbers, using a popular sms number provider SMS Man as an example. It is one of the oldest SMS activation services, with virtual phone numbers from 158 countries and more than 1,000 services that can be turned on.
- To create a virtual phone number, you need to go to service SMS verification and do a simple registration.
- After registration you have to go to ‘Replenish balance’ and deposit the amount you want.
- Then you only have to choose the type of number you want (mobile operator’s country) and the service where you need to register.
- After clicking “Buy” virtual number will be automatically added to your personal cabinet.
Once the number is purchased, all you need to do is enter it on the website and wait for SMS to be received. Finally, enter the code that you received via SMS to get complete access.
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- USPhoneBook – Free Phone Number Lookup Site
- View Company Details: Reverse Business Phone Lookups
- How to Change SRD Phone Number Without Application – SASSA Guide
- Phishing SMS 2FA codes – How hackers bypass two-factor authentication
- Scam Prevention: How to Stay Safe Online
- Learn How to Spy on Any Cell Phone using their Phone Number
