Experts named the main danger to Russians when changing their phone number

If you don't disconnect your phone number from the banking app and other services after changing your phone number, another person may get it after a few months. On August 9, experts from the Roskachestvo Center for Digital Expertise told Izvestia what this threatens the account holder with and what measures will help protect accounts.

"The most serious risk when changing a number is that it is the main tool for restoring access on many online platforms. Having access to the number, you can reset your password or log in to your account by simply receiving an SMS with the code," the statement says.

Mobile operators are returning numbers that have not been used for a long time. This usually occurs after a period of inactivity lasting from 90 to 270 days. If no calls are made from the SIM card, no messages are sent, and the mobile Internet is not used, the contract may be terminated and the number subsequently transferred to a new subscriber.

However, banking applications usually have additional protection. In addition to the phone number, you may need card or account information and a secret code to log in. In this case, an SMS with a code is only one of the verification steps. One message received to the old number is not enough to access the bank account. The account on Public Services is similarly protected.

If the old number is no longer available, but remains listed in the bank as a contact number, you must contact the branch with your passport and apply for its replacement. In some cases, you can change the phone number remotely through the support service if you have access to the mobile application.

After changing the number, experts recommend checking all important accounts and replacing the old contact information in them. If possible, it is better to set up two-factor authentication through an application or another method unrelated to SMS. It is also worth checking the list of active devices and sessions and terminating all suspicious connections.

Experts note that by itself, transferring an old number to another person does not mean automatic access to a bank account. The main risk is the loss of control over accounts and notifications if the old number continues to be used to restore access or confirm transactions.

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Information security expert "Kontur.On August 6, Daniil Borislavsky told Aegis that the phone number has become one of the main identifiers of a person in the digital environment today. Through it, users get access to banking applications, "Public Services", messengers and other services, so a SIM card often becomes a tool for conducting fraudulent attacks. According to the expert, such SIM cards can be used to conduct mass phone calls, send phishing messages, create accounts in messengers, receive confirmation codes and hide the real participants in criminal schemes.