{"id":6215,"date":"2021-01-15T14:45:02","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T22:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/blog\/?p=6215"},"modified":"2021-01-15T14:51:03","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T22:51:03","slug":"port-out-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/port-out-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Identity Theft: Victims of the Port Out Scam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think your cell phone is safe from hackers<\/a>? Even if your phone is safely in your pocket, hand, or home, you might still be at risk! Victims of thieves whose cell phone port often lose significant amounts of money, which may be challenging to get back. Find out how cell phone hackers<\/a> perpetrate mobile devices and how to protect yourself from the port out scam.<\/p>\n

How the Port Out Scam Works<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/My-Post-10.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Most firsthand stories of cell phone porting fraud say that the crime almost ruined their life. Take Money<\/a> magazine\u2019s account of Megan Clifford. While at work one January day, Clifford noticed that her cell phone wasn\u2019t working. Shortly after this astonishment, she received a T-mobile text message<\/a> about changes that had been made to her online password<\/a>. As she hadn\u2019t initiated the change, she promptly called T-mobile but, by then, hackers had already gained control and transferred her phone number to an alternate carrier by using identity theft.<\/a><\/p>\n

With this first crime in place, hackers then began to steal from Clifford for over a month. Her bank<\/a> had misplaced transfers to an individual she didn\u2019t know and missing money. How did the hacker do this?<\/p>\n

Well, once he or she had access and control over Clifford\u2019s phone number<\/a>, they could get into her bank information, accounts, and more through apps and password hacks and re-sets. She had to fix every single password, even for music sharing apps like Spotify.<\/p>\n

Not only do some victims not realize the crime as quickly as Clifford did, but correcting it can be time-consuming. You will have to contact each financial institution\u2019s customer service, and some apps only have email support. Also, safeguards such as two-party authentication<\/a> for log-ins and passwords won\u2019t work if the codes are being sent to a hacked ported phone number.<\/p>\n

Whether this has happened to you or you\u2019re worried your cell phone number<\/a> might be ported, this is the best way to protect yourself and stop the hacker in their tracks.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid the Port Out Scam<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/My-Post-11.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Change Passwords<\/h3>\n

Change every single password for every account you have. Make a written list and check off the accounts as you go, so you don\u2019t forget any. Feel as if you have too many online accounts to remember or aren\u2019t sure what they are?<\/p>\n

Perform a Social Catfish search and seek out your accounts by email<\/a>, social media, phone number, username, etc. Visit Social Catfish<\/a> to make sure you find every account before hackers do!<\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/i> Name<\/span><\/a>\n <\/i> Email<\/span><\/a>\n <\/i> Phone<\/span><\/a>\n <\/i> Username<\/span><\/a>\n <\/i> Address<\/span><\/a>\n <\/i> Image<\/span><\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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