Have you heard about porting scams?

Asking your phone company about extra port out security could work pretty well, IF you make the added question/info something that no one but you knows, and that you will actually be able to provide when/if you DO want to change your phone account.

I almost never use my actual personal information as answers to personal information question. I have a list of all the nonsense I’ve signed up with for various accounts, which no one else has access to. So if some site has a security question such as “Who is your favorite Aunt?” The answer is Commander Uhura or “7001 Penguins” or something.

I never bank online. It may be inconvenient, but it minimizes risk.

^^And people say I am paranoid I never bank on line, I don’t use my real visa on line,I don’t do Facebook,or any other crap,when I do use a visa on line it’s a prepaid one.

I don’t pay bills on line. I think that’s more of an old person thing instead of a security thing though.

@Zaku I do something similar with my security verification answers except yours are more creative than mine. I fear forgetting how creative I was at the time I set them up so I go for something more basic.

I’ve noticed that recently many sites are assigning you a verification code that they assign to the device that you sign in from so they know when it’s you. The news report said in porting your phone number that when these sites text you the verification code that the person using your number will receive the exact same text as you do. Even if you have it emailed, they can see your emails too once you sign into them. I’m wondering WHY the sites can’t see that you simultaneously authorized 2 devices at almost the exact same time from 2 different IP addresses?

I do my best to be very diligent in protecting myself from technology while still using it. I don’t like it; but I have caved in bit by bit along the way. Every time I find my comfort zone some crook violates my space & I’m hoping to garnerr some new ideas that I haven’t thought about yet!!!

@chyna I’m a paranoid old lady & I’ve fought technology tooth & nail assuming I’d die before I’d need to use it. Well, I haven’t died & I’m finding businesses setting things up where it has become easier for me to go with the flow rather than continue to fight. Since retiring, I’ve noticed that technology is growing faster than I can keep up.I never wanted a cell but the company I worked for made a cell mandatory if I wanted to stay employed. Then it made me feel safer when I had to travel so I continued to use it. I don’t do a lot of online banking but I do frequently check my account to make sure the current activity was done by me. I don’t use a password to get into my account cutting out somebody guessing my password. It’s setup to recognize my fingerprint because that’s supposed to be unique to me. According to the news report, even using my fingerprint to get myself in, once in the crook has access to look around at will. I listen to a lot of music & have an iTunes account that requires the verification code. Potentially, anybody ghosting me could get in to my iTunes account & buy anything they want. I’ve already set up a second layer of security with iTunes & I’m going to my bank today to see what else they have to offer.

I think my problem with the security codes is that out of paranoia I don’t turn on cookies & the verification code sent isn’r retained; so I get a new one every time I try to log in. It’s spread a lot wider than just my bank & I’m looking for ideas on better ways to do what I’m already doing!!!!

I’m finding the younger generations are being groomed to relinquish all their personal info & I’m trying to stay a bit smarter than that. My biggest fear is that I don’t understand the technology well enough to stay ahead of the game. Assuming that I’ve inherited my family’s genes, I’ve got another 20–25 years to deal with this crap & I’m finding that a bit unnerving!!!

@SQUEEKY2 I don’t really bank online; however, I do look at my account frequently to verify that nobody else is using my account. I don’t have a lot of money & what little I do have has to last me until my final breath. For that reason, I prefer to choose with whom I share!!!

“The news report said in porting your phone number that when these sites text you the verification code that the person using your number will receive the exact same text as you do. Even if you have it emailed, they can see your emails too once you sign into them. I’m wondering WHY the sites can’t see that you simultaneously authorized 2 devices at almost the exact same time from 2 different IP addresses?”
– I would need more accurate details, and I expect they vary case-by-case. If a ported phone is able to read your email, I imagine it is because the email software is allowed to import your settings including the login information for your email account, which your old phone must have backed up to some service that backs up data for convenience. If there’s a way to disable backing up of data from your phone to the cloud, or prevent restoring backed up information without passwords that are NOT stored anywhere but by you, that should prevent that.

This is why I do not use two factor authentication. That and say I can no longer afford my phone bill I would be locked out of my email if I enabled this. Or even if my phone company goes out of business without warning.

I mainly use my cell as a phone & not as a handheld computer. I’m now considering getting rid of it & with it goes the stress of hackers, scammers, & other jerks. Much like you can’t win the lottery if you don’t have a ticket, you can’t have info stolen from your phone if you don’t have a phone!!! It’s sounding better & better the more I think about it!!!

@LadyMarissa that is just one more reason I just have a flip phone, and another nice thing I only have to charge it once a week.