Your phone number could be robbed from you if you don't follow this crucial step

Canceling an old phone number may seem like a straightforward administrative task, but there are shocking consequences if you don't take the right precautions. What you may not realize is that your mobile phone number has become your de facto identification. It unlocks access to your email, Amazon account, social media, and most importantly, your bank account.

Numbers don't retire, they just get recycled

The origin of this issue lies in a legal practice of telecommunications companies. Phone numbers are a valuable resource, and when you cancel your service, providers like Movistar, Vodafone, and Orange don't simply store them in a drawer. Instead, they quickly recycle those numbers.

As the Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad (INCIBE) has repeatedly warned, Spanish operators recycle cancelled numbers within just 1-6 months. After this 'quarantine' period, that same number is assigned to a completely new customer on a fresh SIM card. The problem is that while operators recycle the number, the databases of the apps you use remain unaware of this change.

This means that when you update your phone number with a new service, the old number still exists, linked to your old account. If you don't sever ties with your old number, a new user could easily gain access to your accounts. A chilling example is a user who, months after switching numbers, discovered someone impersonating them to take control of their accounts.

Protect yourself from number theft

To avoid this nightmare, you must take proactive steps when canceling a number. First, dedicate a week to updating the settings of your most critical apps, like your bank, email, and Amazon. Remove your old number and switch to two-factor authentication methods like Google Authenticator or Authy.

To prevent any lingering issues, consider keeping your old number active on a prepaid SIM card in an old phone for a couple of months. This will allow you to receive any verification SMS that may still be sent to the old number.