Has Your Phone Number Been Hijacked?

Staff Photo

My phone recently rang with my name displayed on the caller ID. When I answered, a recording said it was AT&T calling to say my account was suspended pending verification.

The female voice asked for my social security number and account passcode. Uh...NO! I hung up, and successfully made a call.

Scammers have been using technology to make it look like they're calling from local numbers. Hijacking people's personal numbers is the latest wave of scamming, according to firstforwomen.com.

The technique is called "porting." The scammer contacts your provider pretending to be you, and reports a stolen phone, asking the number to be transferred to a different device.

If you receive a call like the one I did, don't provide any information.

Click here for tips from the Better Business Bureau on protecting yourself.