Phone number stolen

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Enkidu
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Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

My wife's phone stopped working today, no calls in or out. When she called her provider (PagePlus) they said that she had called yesterday to discontinue the account and "gave the number away". PagePlus claims there is nothing that they can do about it because the caller had enough information to verify ownership. They won't provide any information about the new owner or even the provider name. Calls to the number go to a recording that says the number is not in service. My wife had the number for over 15 years and is very upset.

After Googling a bit it appears that there are some fairly complex identity theft schemes that involve stolen phone numbers. Our credit is frozen, but just to be on the safe side we called the credit card companies to have new cards issued.

Has anybody had experience with a stolen phone number? Any ideas about how we can follow-up on this or other actions that we can take?
Iliketoridemybike
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

Watch your accounts for ACH transfers.
The Wizard
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by The Wizard »

I don't think that normally surrendered phone numbers are typically reassigned to a different phone the very next day.
You should be able to report it stolen and get it back.
Just how to do this I can't tell you.
And apparently the first tier customer support at PagePlus can't either...
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Sheepdog
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Sheepdog »

I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered you will never grow. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
The Wizard
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by The Wizard »

It's hard to Google this problem since the presumption is that the phone itself is stolen, not the number.
But "cell number stolen" seems to work...
Last edited by The Wizard on Fri Jul 28, 2017 3:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dm200
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by dm200 »

Call the number and work a "scam". Tell the person that answers that they have won the lottery and they just need go in person to claim the prize. Then - use your imagination.

Seinfeld had an eipsode where Jerry's phone was stolen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG-_tz5YuZE
Iliketoridemybike
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

I have heard of money transfers being set-up and when the call to verify is made....it goes to the stolen number and confirmed as legit.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

Sheepdog wrote:I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
My wife received a call a few days ago from somebody who claimed that he was returning her call. He said that her number showed on his caller ID. She did not call his number. I wonder if this could be related.

By the way she has an Iphone SE if this is relevant.
2pedals
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by 2pedals »

I think i would change my profile to any important bank/credit card account were your phone number is used. While you at it change your passwords as well.
Rupert
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Rupert »

Iliketoridemybike wrote:Watch your accounts for ACH transfers.
+1. Call your bank(s) and alert them.
The Wizard
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by The Wizard »

Enkidu wrote:
Sheepdog wrote:I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
My wife received a call a few days ago from somebody who claimed that he was returning her call. He said that her number showed on his caller ID. She did not call his number. I wonder if this could be related.

By the way she has an Iphone SE if this is relevant.
Probably not.
Scammers often spoof your caller ID pretending to be a number on the same area code and exchange as you, to make you think someone local is calling...
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The Wizard
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by The Wizard »

Rupert wrote:
Iliketoridemybike wrote:Watch your accounts for ACH transfers.
+1. Call your bank(s) and alert them.
And what exactly is the bank supposed to do?
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SirToolman
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by SirToolman »

Enkidu wrote:
Sheepdog wrote:I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
My wife received a call a few days ago from somebody who claimed that he was returning her call. He said that her number showed on his caller ID. She did not call his number. I wonder if this could be related.

By the way she has an Iphone SE if this is relevant.
I have been getting a lot of robocalls lately with spoofed Caller IDs with my same area code and exchange (i.e my phone number is (123) 456-7890 and the calls are from (123) 456-xxxx. This person probably got a robocall w/ your wife's number.

I have had people call me a few times as well when I did not call them.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

Iliketoridemybike wrote:I have heard of money transfers being set-up and when the call to verify is made....it goes to the stolen number and confirmed as legit.

Yes, this worried me, but after checking it appears that all our accounts use either our home phone or my cell.
The Wizard
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by The Wizard »

2pedals wrote:I think i would change my profile to any important bank/credit card account were your phone number is used. While you at it change your passwords as well.
The passwords aren't the immediate problem.
The problem is that for certain situations, the financial provider texts a six digit number to your cellphone to verify that it's really you...
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Rupert
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Rupert »

The Wizard wrote:
Rupert wrote:
Iliketoridemybike wrote:Watch your accounts for ACH transfers.
+1. Call your bank(s) and alert them.
And what exactly is the bank supposed to do?
Put a fraud alert on the account and notify you of any suspicious ACH transfer attempts? Not complete ACH transfers without prior authorization from you? The same thing my credit card companies do when they notice suspicious activity on my account. There are lots of things they can do.
littlebird
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by littlebird »

I would file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, stressing the risk to your security by the refusal of the carrier to cooperate in reversing the theft of your phone #. I would also call my local police agency and ask if they have an identity theft unit, and in either case, find out whether you can file a complaint, either for theft, fraud or identity theft.
2pedals
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by 2pedals »

The Wizard wrote:
2pedals wrote:I think i would change my profile to any important bank/credit card account were your phone number is used. While you at it change your passwords as well.
The passwords aren't the immediate problem.
The problem is that for certain situations, the financial provider texts a six digit number to your cellphone to verify that it's really you...
Maybe not but what if the actor hacked into an account found the phone number transfer ownership of the phone number and has not reset the password and phone number yet. If a password, phone number and/or email changed, an email is sent to the user to notify, so the actor may not wish to do that.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

littlebird wrote:I would file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, stressing the risk to your security by the refusal of the carrier to cooperate in reversing the theft of your phone #. I would also call my local police agency and ask if they have an identity theft unit, and in either case, find out whether you can file a complaint, either for theft, fraud or identity theft.

I will check on how to file a complaint with FCC.

Not sure it is worth filing a police report. The last time we had an issue the local police wanted to know the dollar damages before they would take any information.
Iliketoridemybike
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

They wanted that number for a reason. You just have to figure out why.
acunn
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by acunn »

Enkidu wrote:
Sheepdog wrote:I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
My wife received a call a few days ago from somebody who claimed that he was returning her call. He said that her number showed on his caller ID. She did not call his number. I wonder if this could be related.

By the way she has an Iphone SE if this is relevant.

I received a very similar first text saying "I can't talk right now whats up" which I did not reply to and then a phone call at 2:30am that I did answer but did not answer any questions when he asked who was this. I am also now curious if this was part of a phishing scam.
Did your wife give any information or speak to this person when they did call?
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

I am trying to find anywhere her phone was used for two-factor authentication or used as a secondary number. For instance our "home phone" is actually a Google voice number that forwards all calls to both of our mobile phones. Also used as a secondary number on my Gmail account. So far I don't think that she had two factor authentication set up with her cell, she used email in most cases. My cell is another story.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

Iliketoridemybike wrote:They wanted that number for a reason. You just have to figure out why.
That will keep me awake at night. :shock: Apparently they had enough information about her to convince PagePlus.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

acunn wrote:
Enkidu wrote:
Sheepdog wrote:I have read that phone numbers are being "stolen" and used for phone scams; that is, when a telephone call is received, the stolen number shows as the CID so it looks legitimate and you are more likely to answer and answer "Rachael" or whomever.
My wife received a call a few days ago from somebody who claimed that he was returning her call. He said that her number showed on his caller ID. She did not call his number. I wonder if this could be related.

By the way she has an Iphone SE if this is relevant.

I received a very similar first text saying "I can't talk right now whats up" which I did not reply to and then a phone call at 2:30am that I did answer but did not answer any questions when he asked who was this. I am also now curious if this was part of a phishing scam.
Did your wife give any information or speak to this person when they did call?



She spoke with the caller but did not give any information. Both thought that her number was probably spoofed.
Iliketoridemybike
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

Enkidu wrote:
Iliketoridemybike wrote:They wanted that number for a reason. You just have to figure out why.
That will keep me awake at night. :shock: Apparently they had enough information about her to convince PagePlus.
I know that sucks. Sorry to hear about this. I wish you best.
Katietsu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Katietsu »

I would push to get the number back. This happened to my sister in law with AT and T. She had to go to a local store with her phone and photo ID and they restored her phone number. I know this may not be as easy with a provider that does not have physical establishments. But it does show that the phone number can be given back.
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jabberwockOG
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by jabberwockOG »

Either get the phone number back in the next 24 hours by escalating to appropriate management level at your carrier or get a new number. Do not let this situation with a potential stolen number go on without addressing and resolving. Your phone number is like your SSN these days. It unlocks too many doors. Then if you have a new number go thru every possible online social, email, and financial account as well as all local directories, schools, neighborhood, friends, etc and make double sure the old number is removed.

In addition your wife's carrier failed to adequately secure her account. I'd drop them like a hot potato at your first opportunity.
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Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

jabberwockOG wrote:Either get the phone number back in the next 24 hours by escalating to appropriate management level at your carrier or get a new number. Do not let this situation with a potential stolen number go on without addressing and resolving. Your phone number is like your SSN these days. It unlocks too many doors. Then if you have a new number go thru every possible online social, email, and financial account as well as all local directories, schools, neighborhood, friends, etc and make double sure the old number is removed.

In addition your wife's carrier failed to adequately secure her account. I'd drop them like a hot potato at your first opportunity.

Agree with this. She has just completed a complaint with the FCC. PagePlus so-called customer service has not been at all helpful, but we will continue pushing. They say the number was already reassigned but If we do get the number back we will still change providers. My service is also through PagePlus and I have totally lost all confidence in them.
Edgy033
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Edgy033 »

One thing I'd want to know is what specific pieces of information did the fraudster need to know in order to verify your identity? Name? Address? Last four of SSN? Security Phrases? My phone provider asks for my Authenticator code to verify my identity, so I'm happy.

Regardless your outcome, use this as an opportunity to increase your security across the board. Stronger passwords, two-factor auth, better security questions. If you're security question is "What is my dog's name" and you have a public Facebook profile with dog pictures, that's bad.

PagePlus's Terms and Conditions mention that the number may be reassigned after 30 days of the Service End date. They may not be following their own policies correctly (I'm not a lawyer, don't hold me to it).

(Search for "Service End Date")
https://www.pagepluscellular.com/terms-and-conditions/

I would question the thought that the fraudster is the same person who they reassigned it to. Was it requested to move it to a different account or was it reassigned to a random new customer?
JBTX
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by JBTX »

The Wizard wrote:I don't think that normally surrendered phone numbers are typically reassigned to a different phone the very next day.
You should be able to report it stolen and get it back.
Just how to do this I can't tell you.
And apparently the first tier customer support at PagePlus can't either...
It can happen pretty quickly. As soon as it is unassigned and available then it shows up as an option available for a new mobile number. Given its age it is probably an "attractive" number and will get chosen quickly by a new cell phone subscriber.
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Watty
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Watty »

Enkidu wrote:
Iliketoridemybike wrote:They wanted that number for a reason. You just have to figure out why.
That will keep me awake at night. :shock: Apparently they had enough information about her to convince PagePlus.
Many times banks, credit cards, email accounts(like gmail) and brokerages will send a text message to recover a forgotten password or to alert you to a transaction that just occurred.

I would change the phone numbers associated with anything like that right away.
DippityDoo
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by DippityDoo »

Have you seen this article?

Your mobile phone account could be hijacked by an identity thief
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/t ... tity-thief

It mentions that companies are obligated to provide written records related to identity theft to victims. If you haven't already, it might not hurt to request (in writing) a copy of records. Unfortunately, I know from personal experience with identity theft that companies don't always comply. In my case, the company refused to send anything. I had to refer the problem to an identity theft resolution firm to handle it.

Best wishes resolving your problem. I know firsthand how aggravating...and time consuming...it is to patch the holes after theft of identity.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

DippityDoo wrote:Have you seen this article?

Your mobile phone account could be hijacked by an identity thief
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/t ... tity-thief

It mentions that companies are obligated to provide written records related to identity theft to victims. If you haven't already, it might not hurt to request (in writing) a copy of records. Unfortunately, I know from personal experience with identity theft that companies don't always comply. In my case, the company refused to send anything. I had to refer the problem to an identity theft resolution firm to handle it.

Best wishes resolving your problem. I know firsthand how aggravating...and time consuming...it is to patch the holes after theft of identity.
What happened to my wife is similar to what happened to others. Thanks for posting this link, it gives me another place to report this. I wouldn't have thought of the FTC.

I will also file a written request for information with PagePlus, who is now owned by TracFone. At this point I don't have any hope of getting the phone number back.
InMyDreams
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by InMyDreams »

Do any of your insurances offer assistance with ID theft? For instance, some people have it with their home owners. I have it thru a disability policy. They may be able to provide advice and resources.
IMO
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by IMO »

I'd say while it may make you feel better reporting this to authorities/FTC, etc, the reality is that no one of any authority cares that your phone number appears to have been stolen. Nothing will happen from the "authority" side of this concern. I think that's just the reality unfortunately.

I think the issue is a big concern, and I've wondered if the next "theft" will be people's phone numbers. The loss of the number itself is obviously a hassle with friends/family, but more concerning is that it is extremely common to have a phone text sent to you when you request that you have forgotten your username or password. You make the request, they text you a code, and now you (or someone who has your phone) has access to whatever financial or other web site with a password. Same concern if someone gets into your email.

As someone else has mentioned, I'd go online to at least all financial/insurance type of websites and change your listed phone number.

Please post how everything goes on your unfortunate situation.
ft2010
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by ft2010 »

I used to have Page Plus and as far as I can recall, its prepaid cell service they only have limited personal info on the account: mobile number, ESN/IMEI, and pass code (need verify this in order to port out or change/terminate service). When I called customer service a few times in the past, they always requested pass code. Maybe someone made a mistake somewhere.

I think the only thing to do is to update your records with any other companies that you supplied mobile number, e.g., financial companies, airlines, etc. The thieves, if it was indeed theft rather than a mistake, do not have your name, address, let alone SSN to mess with your identity. I am not saying absolutely not possible of ID theft, but remember the phrase "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity".

With so many choices of prepaid mobile providers, I think the numbers assigned by providers are somewhat like disposable items rather than permanent (use of Google Voice can also simplify your mobile life). Home phone numbers, if you still use a landline, whether traditional or voip, is more stable and probably gives a sense of permanency. This is true for me, others may feel different, of course.
Last edited by ft2010 on Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Iliketoridemybike
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Iliketoridemybike »

IMO wrote:I'd say while it may make you feel better reporting this to authorities/FTC, etc, the reality is that no one of any authority cares that your phone number appears to have been stolen. Nothing will happen from the "authority" side of this concern. I think that's just the reality unfortunately.

I think the issue is a big concern, and I've wondered if the next "theft" will be people's phone numbers. The loss of the number itself is obviously a hassle with friends/family, but more concerning is that it is extremely common to have a phone text sent to you when you request that you have forgotten your username or password. You make the request, they text you a code, and now you (or someone who has your phone) has access to whatever financial or other web site with a password. Same concern if someone gets into your email.

As someone else has mentioned, I'd go online to at least all financial/insurance type of websites and change your listed phone number.

Please post how everything goes on your unfortunate situation.
Not to thread drift, but I ran into an obvious scam on eBay where someone was using a stolen credit card to buy and ship purchases. They pocketed the cash and would drop ship you the item paid for on someone else's card. I provided all the details to Paypal and eBay. Neither one cared at all.
SoDakJeff
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by SoDakJeff »

DippityDoo wrote:Have you seen this article?

Your mobile phone account could be hijacked by an identity thief
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/t ... tity-thief

It mentions that companies are obligated to provide written records related to identity theft to victims. If you haven't already, it might not hurt to request (in writing) a copy of records. Unfortunately, I know from personal experience with identity theft that companies don't always comply. In my case, the company refused to send anything. I had to refer the problem to an identity theft resolution firm to handle it.

Best wishes resolving your problem. I know firsthand how aggravating...and time consuming...it is to patch the holes after theft of identity.
The events described by the person in the article you linked are almost exactly what happened to me last year. My phone and my wife's phone just stopped working. Called AT&T and was told to come in and get my sim card replaced. Started in on the process of calling AT&T to find out what happened. Then, something really interesting happened - I get a call from a police officer in Greenwich Ct (I'm in South Dakota), telling me that he's just arrested the guy who stole my identity! He said he was driving down the street and saw a car parked outside an Apple store, and something about that made his "cop radar" go off. He checked the guy out and found a bunch of stolen phones and credit cards in the car, including a brand new Apple phone that he'd just bought and charged to my account. I took the usual precautions with the credit bureaus and eventually everything got straightened out, but I never did get a good explanation from AT&T as to how this could have happened. I'll be contacting them about any records they might have. Thanks for the heads-up.
Topic Author
Enkidu
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Enkidu »

ft2010 wrote:Maybe someone made a mistake somewhere.
ft2010 wrote:"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity".
It is possible that this was a mistake that the customer service people will not acknowledge. All we know for sure is that our account was closed and the number recycled without our authorization. The customer service people claim that a caller was verified but we will probably never know if this is true.

We have:
filed a complaint with FCC,
escalated through customer service,
ordered new credit cards,
already have a credit freeze,
deleted the phone number from bank / financial profiles,
notified friends and family that the number is no longer valid.

It's hard to know how much work to put into this. We may file a written complaint with the company, and will definitely look for a new provider. Probably not worth filing an identity theft claim or a police report without some evidence that unauthorized charges were made to our account.

We do have identity theft insurance through our homeowners, but so far there has been no actual financial loss that we are aware of, just a lot of hassle and anxiety that anybody would prefer to avoid.
Lynette
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Lynette »

Maybe just stupidity. Have you written to the CEO of PagePlus? I think it is unacceptable that they allowed this to happen and won't take responsibility for it. I would file a police report regardless. Your number should not have been reassigned immediately.
Suman
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by Suman »

This is real. Today I switched my DW phone number to a new phone. I needed a new sim card as new phone won't fit a nano sim. So I bought a sim for $1 from best buy and then called the prepaid cellular company to change her account to the new phone. Only question they asked- what is your new sim number? They activated the new sim with the original phone number. IMO, if someone knows your phone number and name of prepaid cellular provider, it is super easy to steal the number.
toast0
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Re: Phone number stolen

Post by toast0 »

If you're convinced that PagePlus can't or won't help you, you might try calling related carriers to see if there's some way they can help. You might try TracFone, which is a related company; or Verizon which is the network PagePlus uses. If you ported the number into PagePlus at some point in the past, you might want to call the original network that issued the number -- they may get it back after the account is cancelled. If you can't remember what carrier originally issued the number, you can use an NPA-NXX lookup site like http://localcallingguide.com/lca_prefix.php. If your number was 311-867-5309; you'd put 311 in the NPA box, 867 in NXX, and 5 as the block. (At some point in the late 90s, they started distributing numbers in blocks of 1,000s instead the traditional 10,000 number prefixes)
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