
Alternative ID can protect you from scammers – Image credit: Surfshark
Phone numbers may not seem like a potential attack vector since users can just hang up on spam, but it’s not as simple as that. Companies have begun relying on phone numbers to verify identity, send temporary passwords, and other aspects of account security that scammers seek to exploit.
If you’re using your personal phone number on online accounts, it can be trivial for bad actors to exploit it and gain access to that account. Whether they use SIM swapping, phishing, or other techniques, access to a phone number can lead to data loss, bank account hacks, and identity theft.