Old Mobile Number: Have you recently switched off your old mobile number or switched to a new SIM? If yes, then this news is very important for you. Many people become worried after changing the number, thinking that the old SIM is now useless, but the truth is that your old number is allotted to someone else after a few months. In such a situation, if you do not take necessary security steps, your personal data, bank information and social media accounts may fall into the hands of some unknown person.
How does someone else get your old number?
Telecom companies keep every closed mobile number inactive for about 90 days (three months). If you do not activate the SIM again during that time, then that number is given to a new user. Now imagine, if your same number is linked to accounts like Bank, Google, Instagram or WhatsApp, then the new user can access your private information through OTP or recovery message.
This is how you protect your data from falling into wrong hands
If you are changing the number or going to switch off the old SIM, then first of all update the new number by visiting all your bank accounts, UPI apps and social media platforms. Add a new number by going to Change Mobile Number or Manage Account option in services like Gmail, Facebook, WhatsApp, Paytm and Amazon.
Apart from this, logout from bank and wallet apps and delete the old number. Also activate 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) on the new number so that no unknown person can get the OTP or recovery code.
Do this before selling or throwing away your old SIM.
If you still have the old SIM, get it completely deactivated before throwing it away. Log out all the accounts associated with your phone and factory reset the device. Remember, just removing the SIM is not enough, it is necessary to erase the old number from the accounts.
Small carelessness can become a big danger
Often cyber fraudsters take advantage of such abandoned old numbers. They can hack your accounts through bank or social media recovery links. Therefore, next time when you change your mobile number, do not consider it as just a new connection but also change the lock of your digital security. Because in today’s world it is easy to change numbers but losing data can prove to be very costly.
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