Giving your phone number out freely when you do shopping or filling in the forms of different kinds can be annoying down the road, but it can also be dangerous. Your personal information is vulnerable to potential hackers and identity thieves — even those innocent 10 digits we so readily hand out to friends and family.
According to security researchers and “white hat hackers” Nick DePetrillo and Don Bailey, that simple, harmless seeming string of digits can unlock a world of your personal data. With your 10 digits in tow, a hacker could use software to ferret out your full name and even track your location via GPS over a mobile network — more than enough information for a deft identity thief to wreak havoc on your accounts.
If you use your phone number to double as a memorable password for anything else in your life — your email, your home security system code, or your ATM pin number, for example — you’ll be in big trouble if that number falls into the wrong hands. Knowing full well how most people settle on insecure (but easy to remember) passwords, it’s best to keep your phone number as private as possible. It only takes a few scraps of personal identifying information for a successful identity swipe, and staying as private as possible with personal data can mean the difference between getting hacked and staying secure. If you know someone has accessed any of your personal accounts without your authorization, act fast to assess the damage, and lock down your accounts.
How to stop unwanted phone calls
If you are receiving annoying, persistent calls from companies with your number, you have a few options:
* Simply call and ask to be removed from the calling list. Sometimes this is an automated process and you can easily opt out with a few button presses.
* Register for the National Do Not Call Registry. Implemented in 2004, getting your name on this list can cut down on the amount of calls you receive from telemarketers who have your number on file.
* If all else fails, report the phone offender to the Better Business Bureau. By filing an official complaint with the BBB, you can expect to resolve the issue within 30 days, if not sooner.